Buon San Valentino a tutti!
We want to wish you a very lovely Valentine's Day! No matter where you are in the world & no matter who you're spending your day with, here at Sicilian Connections we are all connected by our mutual love for the island of Sicily.
So, here's a short video of Sicily as our gift to you on this special day.......enjoy!
Tanti auguri! Leave a comment and let us know if you enjoyed the video.
A presto,
Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com
Showing posts with label Palermo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palermo. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 February 2019
Monday, 9 September 2013
La Festa di Santa Rosalia - Bensonhurst
Buongiorno a tutti! I hope that you all had a wonderful Summer and had the chance to attend at least one of the wonderful Italian festivals that took place all over the world. One of these festivals was 'La Festa di Santa Rosalia' which took place in the Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn, New York.
When hundreds
of thousands of immigrants left Sicily in the late nineteenth century for the
shores of America they took many of their traditions and customs with them.
This made the transition slightly easier and enabled them to enjoy a piece of
home in this new, unknown land. One of these traditions was the ‘Festa di Santa
Rosalia’ which has been celebrated in Palermo for 389 years and has now become
a long standing tradition in the Italian American community.
The feast
has always been celebrated in Brooklyn but it originally took place in the
parish of the Sacred Hearts and St. Stephen’s Church in Carroll Gardens, which
was Brooklyn’s first Italian parish. The procession originally involved
followers walking barefoot through the streets of the neighbourhood to show
their devotion to the Saint. Since then the festival has been moved to the
Bensonhurst area where it has existed for seventy years.
This year at
5pm each day from 22nd August to the 1st September, 18th
Avenue was closed between 68th Street and Bay Ridge Parkway to allow
local residents to enjoy the offerings of over 100 vendors. These Italian
American merchants offer a wide range of delicious Sicilian specialities such
as cannoli, zeppole and arancini and families from across the city came
together to experience this time honoured tradition. Many Sicilian families
have moved away from these tight-knit communities in recent years and the Feast
of Santa Rosalia often provides the ideal opportunity to come together and
share stories of their ancestry and heritage.
There was,
however, some controversy surrounding the festival this year. It was originally
thought that the feast may have to be cancelled, as it was in 2011, due to problems
with street-closure permits and other paperwork issues. Thankfully these issues
were resolved at the last minute and it is the wish of this loyal and devoted
community that the ‘Festa di Santa Rosalia’ will continue to survive long into
the future.
Amici, if you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon at the top right of the page. Grazie mille for your support!!
A presto!
Debra Santangelo
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Buon Carnevale!
Buona sera a tutti! With memories of Christmas fading fast and the mountainous supply of panettone finally coming to an end, this can only mean one thing ....... it's Carnival time!! Carnevale in Italy is one of the year's biggest celebrations and towns throughout the peninsula come alive with music, parades and concerts. The word 'Carnevale' is thought to originate from the Latin words 'carnem levare' which literally mean 'to take away the meat', and this highlights the true reason for the festival which is to enjoy a final party before the restrictions of Lent.
Many towns, such as Venice, celebrate 'Carnevale' in February but, this year, the most famous carnival in Sicily will commence on Saturday 26th January in Acireale. On this day there will be a spectacular inaugural parade around the town at 5pm and then, until the 12th February, Acireale will be a flurry of amazing colours, embellished floats and, of course, mouth-watering Sicilian delicacies. The floats are enormous decorated platforms made by residents of the town and are judged throughout the competition for their design and originality. The winners will be announced at 11pm on the final day.
Other towns in Sicily which are renowned for their spectacular carnivals are Misterbianco, in the province of Catania, Sciacca in Agrigento and Termini Imerese in Palermo.
You can read more about the origins of 'Carnevale' on my carnival blog post from last year at http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/la-vita-e-un-carnevale.html.
For a taste of what you can expect from the 'Carnevale di Acireale' enjoy this video of one of last year's finalists -
Buon Carnevale a tutti! I hope you get the chance to enjoy carnival time wherever you are in the world. Be sure to share your photos and stories with us as always.
A presto,
Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com
P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
A Siracusan Ghost Story for Halloween!
Buongiorno a tutti! With our memories of the long, hazy days of summer fading fast and the dark evenings setting in, it seems that the time has come again for my traditional Halloween ghost story! Those of you who have visited rural Sicily in the winter months will be aware of the eerieness that descends on the towns as the flocks of tourists leave. As the seasonal mist shrouds the rustic villages, the atmosphere changes and a drive through the Sicilian countryside brings you across many abandoned homes and isolated towns.
This particular legend is set in the province of Siracusa, to be precise, on the road that leads to the town of Ognina. If you travel along this road you will come across an old dilapidated house - which is known in local dialect as 'la casa re spiddi' (the house of the spirits). You will also notice that fellow motorists will sound their car horn three times when passing by this house.
Many legends and local stories surround the house but the most famous version is that of the three sisters who lived in the house in the 9th Century. These sisters lived their entire lives waiting to find potential suitors for them to marry but unfortunately they were deemed too unattractive to pursue. These young girls turned into bitter women who stopped going into the outside world and spent their final years in loneliness within the four walls of their home. Out of their bitterness was born an evil curse which condemned anybody who passed by their house without acknowledging them and sentenced them to death in a brutal car accident.
All motorists who pass by must sound their car horn three times in recognition of the women and to this day sightings are still noted of mysterious hitchhikers outside the house who simply vanish into thin air.
These catacombs are also featured in the novel by Trinacria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily by Anthony Di Renzo at http://www.indiegogo.com/trinacria.
So, Happy Halloween to all of my Sicilian Connections friends worldwide ........ don't forget to sound your car horn three times if you find yourself on a dark, Siracusan road!
A presto,
Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com
P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!
This particular legend is set in the province of Siracusa, to be precise, on the road that leads to the town of Ognina. If you travel along this road you will come across an old dilapidated house - which is known in local dialect as 'la casa re spiddi' (the house of the spirits). You will also notice that fellow motorists will sound their car horn three times when passing by this house.
Many legends and local stories surround the house but the most famous version is that of the three sisters who lived in the house in the 9th Century. These sisters lived their entire lives waiting to find potential suitors for them to marry but unfortunately they were deemed too unattractive to pursue. These young girls turned into bitter women who stopped going into the outside world and spent their final years in loneliness within the four walls of their home. Out of their bitterness was born an evil curse which condemned anybody who passed by their house without acknowledging them and sentenced them to death in a brutal car accident.
All motorists who pass by must sound their car horn three times in recognition of the women and to this day sightings are still noted of mysterious hitchhikers outside the house who simply vanish into thin air.
If this story hasn't already sent a shiver down your spine, you can watch this documentary video about the legendary Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, or 'le Catacombe dei Cappuccini' -
These catacombs are also featured in the novel by Trinacria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily by Anthony Di Renzo at http://www.indiegogo.com/trinacria.
So, Happy Halloween to all of my Sicilian Connections friends worldwide ........ don't forget to sound your car horn three times if you find yourself on a dark, Siracusan road!
A presto,
Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com
P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Trinacria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily
Buongiorno amici! I hope that you have all had a very enjoyable Summer and, following the advice from my August post, made a wish on a shooting star for 'La Notte di San Lorenzo'!
I am very happy to share with you all that I have recently been given the title of Duchessa ....... I must be honest, however, and admit that this is actually as part of an exciting campaign to publish the historical novel 'Trinacria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily'. The author of this novel, Anthony Di Renzo, is a Professor at Ithaca College and is also a friend of mine who has impressed me immensely over the past months with his knowledge of Sicily and his enthusiasm for this project.
Set in 18th- and 19th-century Palermo, Naples, and London, Trinàcria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily revolves around the Marchesa of Scalea, Zita Valanguerra Spinelli, notorious beauty, ferocious wit, secret murderer, and reluctant businesswoman, whose turbulent life mirrors her world’s rocky transition from feudalism to capitalism.
For anybody that wants to get involved (and maybe even gain Duca or Duchessa status!) the Trinacria campaign is at the following link - http://www.indiegogo.com/trinacria.
You can also watch this fascinating video about the novel's story -
A presto!
Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com
P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the page. Grazie mille for your support!!
I am very happy to share with you all that I have recently been given the title of Duchessa ....... I must be honest, however, and admit that this is actually as part of an exciting campaign to publish the historical novel 'Trinacria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily'. The author of this novel, Anthony Di Renzo, is a Professor at Ithaca College and is also a friend of mine who has impressed me immensely over the past months with his knowledge of Sicily and his enthusiasm for this project.
I was very happy to put Sig. Di Renzo in touch with the experienced Business Consultant Roberto Ragone and together they have created this wonderful campaign to raise the necessary publication funds for Trinacria. The sponsor of the campaign is the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere, a beautiful villa in Staten Island overlooking the Verrazano Bridge, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting an appreciation of the Italian language, culture and heritage.
Set in 18th- and 19th-century Palermo, Naples, and London, Trinàcria: A Tale of Bourbon Sicily revolves around the Marchesa of Scalea, Zita Valanguerra Spinelli, notorious beauty, ferocious wit, secret murderer, and reluctant businesswoman, whose turbulent life mirrors her world’s rocky transition from feudalism to capitalism.
For anybody that wants to get involved (and maybe even gain Duca or Duchessa status!) the Trinacria campaign is at the following link - http://www.indiegogo.com/trinacria.
You can also watch this fascinating video about the novel's story -
A presto!
Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com
P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the page. Grazie mille for your support!!
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