Whenever we head into the city, we take the train to Milano, arriving at Centrale station. From there, we hop on the metro to the Duomo, which is always our starting point when we visit Milan. We never miss the chance to pause, admire the breathtaking cathedral, and snap a selfie — it’s a ritual that never loses its magic. Then comes our next stop, just a short five-minute walk away: the Milan Starbucks… and not just any Starbucks.

Italiano sotto ogni sezione TikTok video Ivrea Sights / Attrazioni           Thank you to our friends Walter and Karen from Canada and Franco our friend from Vercelli for spending a wonderful day exploring Ivrea.     Ivrea is a small but historically significant city in northern Italy, situated in the Piedmont region roughly 50 kilometers north of Turin. It lies along the Dora Baltea River, close to the Alpine foothills, a location that has shaped its role as a crossroads be

A heart caprese salad is a playful, romantic twist on the classic Italian favorite. Juicy slices of tomatoes are topped with creamy fresh mozzarella cut into heart shape.  We finish it with a sprinkle of salt, either fresh or dried basil and a drizzle of olive oil and topped off with a good balsamic vinegar.  Light, fresh, and visually charming, a beautiful contrast of colors and flavors.  It’s a dish that feels both elegant and heartfelt — perfect for date nights, celebratio

Each year on February 17, people around the globe observe Random Acts of Kindness Day. This meaningful day invites us to offer kindness freely, without looking for recognition or reward. It celebrates sharing love, joy, and compassion through simple, unexpected gestures.

I made this heart shaped cake for Valentine’s Day, to have with a coffee for breakfast.  I used a silicone pan for the first time and I just love how well it worked.  I did spray the pan with cooking spray.   This cake has three layers of batter and two layers of cinnamon sugar with blueberries.  The top is finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Friday the 13th has long held a peculiar grip on the human imagination, blending superstition, history, psychology, and pop culture into a single date that many people still approach with caution or curiosity.  The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th is a fusion of two older fears: the unease around Fridays and the suspicion of the number 13.

World Radio Day, observed annually on 13 February, celebrates radio’s role as a vital and trustworthy means of communication. The date commemorates the founding of United Nations Radio in 1946. UNESCO designated 13 February as World Radio Day in 2011, and the United Nations General Assembly formally endorsed the observance in 2012. 

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok video of Castle / del Castello We had a wonderful time exploring Ivrea with our friends; Walt and Karen who were visiting from Canada and Franco who lives in Vercelli. Information on Ivrea Sights Ivrea Castle, locally known as Castello di Ivrea , is a medieval fortress located in the historic center of Ivrea, a town in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. The castle was constructed in 1358 by Amadeus VI of Savoy, often called “th

Yeah, its Nutella Day! Let's crack open a jar and slather that deliciousness of chocolate and hazelnuts on whatever we like. Of course, if you are allergic to hazelnuts like my brother Vince, then stay away. Here is the story behind Nutella....

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   The Olympic Torch came through Arona on January 14, 2026, and Chris my son-in-law @ chrisevans.film took these photos and video.   La Torcia Olimpica è passata da Arona il 14 gennaio 2026 e Chris, mio genero, @ chrisevans.film , ha scattato queste foto e questi video.    TikTok video - Olympic Torch in Arona / Torcia Olimpica ad Arona Photos / Foto   Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games are an international sporting event dedicated to sno

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   Serves: 2   We just love hot sandwiches with a salad for dinner and when we roast the ingredients it makes it for a healthier meal.    Ingredients 70 gr sliced onions 240 gr sausages 1 tbsp olive oil Garlic salt or salt & pepper to taste 1 tbsp dried oregano 2 red peppers Garlic salt or salt & pepper to taste Dried oregano to taste 2 large buns 6 slices provolone cheese   Directions Preheat oven to 390°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum fo

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   Serves: 2   BLT or the bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich on toasted sliced bread began appearing in American cookbooks around the early 1900s after mayonnaise was adopted to make sandwiches better.  By 1910, versions of bacon–lettuce–tomato sandwiches were increasingly recognizable as the BLT and with the rise of lunch counters, cafes and hotel dining rooms it became the Standard American lunch sandwich.   Today, the BLT is both the benchmark s

Scorri a basso per l’italiano   Serves: 2   There are days when we just want a light meal and for me that is usually a sandwich with a salad.  Today I had some broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge therefore I boiled them or you can steam them, then I strained them and let them cool and made a cold salad out of the to accompany my quickly cooked pork filets to make it a hot sandwich meal.    Ingredients 80 ml olive oil 60 ml apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp Dijon musta

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok video crows destroying grass / corvi che distruggono l’erba   When we returned to Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada this past fall, I was stunned by just how many lawns had been ravaged by crows. I watched in disbelief as they carefully tugged up the grass, leaving what should have been a lush, green paradise looking torn and tattered—a disheartening sight for anyone who cherishes a pristine lawn.   Have you ever wondered why this s

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   Serves: 2 (2 wraps per person)   We love wraps any time of year and today Gianni asked to have a wrap therefore I created this Greek wrap however I substituted feta cheese for mozzarella balls as Gianni isn’t allowed to have feta.  You can use feta instead to make it truly Greek!     I served the wraps with a simple green salad to make this a complete meal.   Ingredients 300 gr chicken breast cut into small cubes 100 gr sliced onions 100 gr pee

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok Video - Bat Houses / Casetta per Pipistrelli Walking along the promenade in Arona, Verdemax boxes can be seen everywhere. Curious about what they were, I decided to do some research to learn more about them.   These little houses are bat houses.  They are environmentally friendly wooden shelters created to give bats a secure resting and nesting place in gardens, parks, or on buildings. Made primarily from natural pine wood, these bat ho

Scorri a basso per l’italiano   Serves: 2 – 3   We love a sandwich and salad for dinner after we have had several big meal days.  Making it a hot sandwich makes the meal feel like dinner.  This sandwich has a good crusty bread to hold the veal, veggies and cheese.  Absolutely delicious with a simple green leaf salad.   Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp vegetable broth 70 gr diced onions 150 gr small pieces of veal (you can use whatever you like) Vegetable broth as required

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok video – Cathedral / Duomo The Duomo di Ivrea, officially the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, stands in the historic center of Ivrea as the result of nearly two millennia of continuous religious and architectural history. Its origins lie in the 4th–5th centuries, when the Roman town of Eporedia  began its transformation into a Christian city. Early Christian basilicas were established on this site, traces of which survive beneath the

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok Video of Vercelli Rice / Riso I want to start by giving Franco, our friend from Vercelli the credit for taking the photos and videos of the rice’s growing phases.  It allows me to show you how the fields transform from dirt to rice.   Rice cultivation in the Vercelli area of northern Piedmont gradually became Europe’s most important rice-growing district due to its geography, technology, and social history. Its foundations date to the M

Scorri a basso per l’Italiano   TikTok video of the church – video TikTok della chiesa The Church of Saints Philip and James is in the heart of Laveno‑Mombello just above the shores of Lake Maggiore.  It historically served as the main parish church before the construction of the newer Sant’Ambrogio.  Often called the chiesa vecchia (“old church”) by locals, it’s a quiet witness to the town’s history and spiritual life.   Its origins go back to the 14th century (with the ea