| La Pieta by Michelangelo |
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Michelangelo |
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Welcome fellow Italophiles. If you have a passion for visiting and learning about ITALY, a county rich in history, culture, natural splendor and gastronomic delights, In Love With Italy™ is for you! It’s an additional service we hope our friends and visitors will enjoy. List of all In Love With Italy™ editions and credits appear at the bottom of this page.
Did you know?
The most popular small, mass-produced car for nearly four decades was FIAT’s Cinquecento (500) or affectionately called “Topolino”, little mouse. A vision of FIAT founder’s grandson Gianni Agnelli who believed there was a need for the “people’s car”, the model was produced from 1936 to 1955 and record numbers sold. Other popular 500 versions were built from 1958-1975, 14 models in all. It’s the ultimate small, slow car and perfect for parking anywhere! (Giovanni “Gianni” Agnelli (12 March 1921-24 January 2003) was Vice President of FIAT from 1946-1966 and President for thirty years beginning in 1966. Agnelli was considered one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world; photo below of his creation, the FIAT 500)
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 Famous Italian
Michelangelo. Born as Michelangelo Di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni on 6 March 1475 in Caprese, Italy. The Renaiss ance sculptor, architect and painter created masterpieces such as La Pietà in St. Peter’s, the heavenly ceiling at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel--including the Creation of Adam, the Statue of David in Firenze and Moses, which are viewed by millions of people every year. He died on 18 February 1564 in Rome. A monument built in his honor in the church of the Santi Apostoli in Roma depicts the master artist in working garb with these words inscribed in Latin: “No praise is sufficient for so great a man.”
New phrase:
L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle: The love that moves the sun and the other stars. Dante wrote this in “Paradiso” Canto XXXIII-145. Dante and St. Francis were the fathers of the Italian language.
Place to visit
The Eastern Shores of Sicily —Sicilia Est: Taormina, Messina & Ali Terme. “ To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all … The things that enchant you cannot be counted," said Goethe. Sicily is the largest Mediterranean Sea island and is Italy’s biggest region. Sicily is resplendent with orange and lemon trees, ancient Greek ruins and breathtakingly beautiful beaches. There is a lot to explore in the ancient port town of Messina, founded by the Greeks in 756 BC. The port city was used as a departure for European knights en route to  the Crusades and Richard the Lionheart, Henry VI and King Phillip II of France all spent time there. You can drive from there to Taormina in less than an hour. En route from Messina to Taormina you can discover a unique experience far from the typical tour group sees. Stop in Ali’ Terme for the island’s best granita (iced coffee)
and pastries at Todaro Pasticceria Bar Gelateria. Piazza Nino Prestia 22, Ali Terme, ME Messina 98021 0942.715230 or 0942.715.422. The Piazza Nino Prestia, is one of the town’s main gathering places where you’ll find the Carmelo and Santina Todaro family busy serving their delectable homemade gelati, granita (iced with coffee, lemon or berries and served with a brioche—round pastry with a cupola) and coffees. Walk by the sea and enjoy the view over to Reggio Calabria. In addition, their main pastry store is located around the corner on Via Francesco Crispi where since 1967 they have catered to locals with their mouthwatering cakes, cookies, torroncino (Chocolate-covered caramels with almonds.) Taormina has been dubbed one of the most beautiful resorts in the world and was one of Winston Churchill’s favorite vacation spots. D.H. Lawrence was inspired to write “Lady Chatterly’s Lover” in Taormina. Stroll the romantic and medieval Corso Umberto, view spectacular Mt. Etna (live volcano pictured to the right), visit Castelmola above Taormina, tour the Greek amphitheater built by the Romans in 300 B.C. and dine in Taormina at A’Zamarra, (Via Fratelli Bandiera 15 (off Corso Umberto; owner Giuseppe Vinciguera) Taormina Tel. 0942/24408) or La Griglia, Corso Umberto 54 (Michelin two forks. Owners Giorgio and Angela Intelisano) Taormina Tel. 0942.23980. http://www.hotelvillasonia.com/ristorantelagriglia/index.htm
 Restaurant
Al Chiaro di Luna. A real find in the hills above Ali’ Terme with spectacular views of the coast and across the sea to Reggio Calabria. Owner and head chef Natale Luna prepares extraordinary cuisine specializing in seafood. It’s all a 7 th degree dining experience including amazing antipasti, grilled swordfish, homemade salmon ravioli, frutta di mare and tagliatelle with butter, garlic and cheese sauce. To ice the cake, tiramisu is served with a chocolate stella (star) design. Natale’s Zia (aunt) Giuseppina is his talented co-chef and fratello (brother) Giacomo and Zio (uncle) Antonino provide warm and friendly service. Allow 20 minutes from the town center of Ali’ Terme to reach the restaurant. After lunch or dinner, visit the quaint town of Ali above Al Chiaro di Luna where Natale’s sister Angela Luna owns Bar Luna (Closed Wednesdays) for an excellent cappuccino and another astounding view of the sea. Al Chiaro di Luna, Contrada da Serro, Strada Provinciale 28, Ali’ Terme, ME Messina 98021, Sicilia 0942.700344 or cell 338.5886151. Closed Wednesdays from October-May.
Hotel
  Hotel Villa Diodoro **** All the hoopla about this grand hotel built in 1898 is well deserved. The Villa Diodoro is the right place if you enjoy the finer pleasures of life with stunning views of Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos. Enjoy a walk in their lush Mediterranean garden. Highly recommended dining room with some of the best, traditional Sicilian specialties in Taormina. Reasonably priced for a four star property with well-appointed rooms—most with views of the sea and pool. Stroll through the beautiful Villa Comunale Duca Colona Cesaro Gardens adjacent to the hotel and then to the path that leads to Taormina’s charming town center. Carmelo LoGiudice and his staff provide a high degree of pampering for their guests. Michelin recommended. Via Bagnoli Croci 75 - 98039 Taormina, ME Messina, Sicily Italy Tel.: 39 0942 23312 - Fax: 39 0942 23391 E-mail: diodoro@gaishotels.com http://www.gaishotels.com/diodoro/index_uk.htm
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Winery
Donnafugata. This celebrated cellar located in Marsala, Sicily is made famous by Giocomo Rallo and his children Antonio and Josè. The golden period for Sicilian winemaking saw 15 wines step up to three glass awards given by Gambero Rosso in 2004. Donnafugata’s Milleunanotte is one of them. Tenuta di Donnafugata is one of the most prestigious estates in Sicilia and one of the best-established Italian wine names internationally.
Wine
Milleunanotte 2001. Three glasses. “Once more it is Milleunanotte , this time the 2001, that won the most plaudits and earned the cellar Three Glasses. It is a great Mediterranean red and nero d’Avola archetype even though it contains ten percent perricone,” says Gambero Rosso. Aside: The name Mille e una notte means one thousand and one nights
  
“Italian Wines 2005”, Gambero Rosso and Slow Food Editore, page 810 |
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n Love With Italy™ Editor’s additional recommendation: If you crave something sweet and refreshing, try Donnafugata’s Moscato di Pantelleria chilled with dessert. For only 14 euros a bottle you’ll be tempted to buy two!
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New In Love With Italy™ communiqués are emailed every month as a complimentary service to Sette Angeli customers. We invite you to visit the online showroom of exquisite, hand painted Deruta creations – the ceramics of Italy at www.setteangeli.com Viva Italia!
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© 2004-2006 Sette Angeli “Seven Angels”, LLC. All rights reserved. Sette Angeli and the Sette Angeli-Seven Angels logo are trademarks of Sette Angeli “Seven Angels”, LLC. “In Love With Italy” is a trademark of Sette Angeli “Seven Angels”, LLC.
© 2004-2006 Sette Angeli “Seven Angels”, LLC. Tutti i diritti sono riservati. Le parole “Sette Angeli-Seven Angels” ed il disegno associato sono marchi di Sette Angeli "Seven Angels”, LLC. Le parole “In Love With Italy” ed il disegno associato sono marchi di Sette Angeli "Seven Angels”, LLC.
In Love With Italy™ - List of All Editions:
- Vol VII, No. 1
- Vol VII, No. 2
- Vol VII, No. 3
- Vol VII, No. 4
- Vol VII, No. 5
- Vol VII, No. 6
- Vol VII, No. 7
- Vol VII, No. 8
- Vol VII, No. 9
- Vol VII, No. 10
- Vol VII, No. 11
- Vol VII, No. 12
- Vol VII, No. 13
- Vol VII, No. 14
- Vol VII, No. 15
- Vol VII, No. 16
- Vol VII, No. 17
- Vol VII, No. 18
- Vol VII, No. 19
- Vol VII, No. 20: In Heaven with SEVEN and Seven Angels
- Vol VII, No. 21: The Heavenly Angels - Sette Angeli - Seven Angels
In Love With Italy™ Index >>
In Love With Italy™ Directory >>
Vol. VII № 3 Source Notes and Credits
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FIAT 500 Topolino
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Michelangelo
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L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle
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Sicily: Messina – Ali’ Terme – Taormina – A’Zamarra – La Griglia
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Al Chiaro di Luna – Ali’ Terme – Bar Luna, Ali
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Hotel Villa Diodoro
- Donnafugata Milleunanotte 2001
FIAT 500 Topolino
Michelangelo
l'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle
Sicily: Messina – Ali Terme – Taormina
- Messina, Sicilia and famous Kings http://www.bestofsicily.com/messina.htm
- Taormina, Sicily: http://www.bestofsicily.com/taormina.htm
- Messina, Sicilia and famous Kings http://www.bestofsicily.com/messina.htm
- Taormina, Sicily: http://www.bestofsicily.com/taormina.htm
- Sir Winston Churchill and Taormina. Information provided by Richard M. Langworth, Editor, The Churchill Centre. The Churchill Centre: http://www.winstonchurchill.org
- Edmund Murray, in “I Was Churchill’s Bodyguard”, pages 196-197, records a visit to Taormina, Sicily in 1953: "Finally it was all arranged and Sir Winston and his party arrived at Taormina, in the shade of Mount Etna, the very next day, to find that he was the target of attention for an even larger than usual army of photographers and Pressmen. Tourists also turned out in great numbers whenever he emerged from, or returned to, the hotel, so that keeping an eye on his security became an almost bigger problem than it had been when he was Prime Minister." British Admiralty documents record that Churchill "steamed round Taormina Bay" as First Lord of the Admiralty on 27 May 1912. General Montgomery used Taormina as his headquarters during the Italian campaign in World War II.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt mentions Taormina in a 9 December 1944 letter to Prime Minister Winston Churchill concerning their upcoming meeting with Stalin: "I think I can leave after Inauguration Day. I hoped that Uncle Joe could come to Rome or Malta or Taormina or Egypt, but if he will not - and insists on the Black Sea – I could do it even at great difficulty on account of Congress."
- Sir Winston Churchill: The Churchill Centre: http://www.winstonchurchill.org If you are a Winston Churchill fan, consider joining The Churchill Centre as a member. The mission is to impress Churchill's wisdom and relevance firmly on future generations and they have a good time doing it. As a member you will enjoy the award winning quarterly, FINEST HOUR, periodic CHARTWELL BULLETIN, 100% access to material on their website http://www.winstonchurchill.org , local, national and international, events in five countries, and discounted books and memorabilia. Telephone toll free: 888-WSC-1874 during business hours weekdays eastern time or use the membership application on our website.
Al Chiaro di Luna
- Recommendation by Signora Maddalena Borraccino e Signora Santina Todaro, Ali Terme, ME Messina, Sicilia
Hotel Villa Diodoro
Donnafugata Milleunanotte 2001
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