Aielli & Benevento

“Andiamo” translates roughly in English to “let’s go”, a fitting term, we think, to describe Aielli & Benevento’s new touring service. In 2007 clients will have the option to choose from more than a dozen private touring experiences, from an Amalfi Adventure to a Sojourn in Sicily.Savvy travelers often book six months or more in advance. Now you can get a head of the crowd. The Andiamo ‘07 program allows travelers to hold a reservation now with a nominal deposit (which is 100% refundable). For details on Andiamo ‘07, email us at: info@aielli-benevento.it.

There are two new books about Italy’s artistic splendor: The Last Days of the Renaissance by Theodore Rabb and Basilica by R.A. Scotti.

The author of “Last Days” is a recognized professor of history at Princeton University. His work, according to a New York Times Book Review, assesses that unique historical period from 1350 to 1650, and the transition from medieval to early modern world.

RA Scotti is a widely recognized journalist and non-fiction author who has a wide range of interests. Having written several books about the Church, her most recent book, “Basilica” details the 120 years it took to construct St. Peter’s. One reviewer noted: “What astonishes most in this saga of vast egos and talents, struggling and collaborating …nearly two centuries, is the sublime coherence of the final result.”

Those old enough to be fans of the movie Roman Holiday well remember the ubiquitous scooter driven around Rome by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. That was 1953.
Fifty years later, in 2003, the maker of Vespa, Piaggio (once owned by Fiat) found itself in desperate financial straits. Industrialist Roberto Colanino deserves deep public gratitude. He bought the century-old company and turned it around without firing a single worker. Piaggio then bought another scooter maker, Aprilia and now plans to go public. The renewed interest may have something to do with the product placements in recent films such as “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Alfie,” and “The Interpreter”.

The annual VeniceFilm Festival commences on August 30 and continues until September 9. This year’s entries include five highly anticipated films that American moviegoers have seen recently in trailers. They are Brian DePalma’s “Black Dahlia;” “Hollywoodland,” about the death of George Reeves, the actor who played Superman; “The Fountain;” “Bobby” about RFK and; Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke.” These American works will compete for the festival’s highest honor, the Golden Lion. The festival is now in its 63rd year.

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The fascination with genuine mozzarella (hereafter, “M”) continues to grow…News is that Food Channel’s own Mario Batali plans to open a mozzarella bar in Los Angeles this fall! (For the unenlightened, the real M is made with milk from real buffaloes and shipped by air from Italy at $24 a pound.) When A& B clients ask for the real M we send them to Obika, a mozzarella bar in central Rome. The restaurant’s owner, Silvio Ursini, is also associated with Bulgari, the luxury jewelry company so he knows a thing or two about fine things.

Here in the US, we have found five places that “lead the league” in homemade Mozzarella:
- Cheesestore of Silver Lake /Los Angeles/ 323.644.7511
- Conte di Savoia /Chicago/ 312.666.3471
- DiPalo’s Dairy /New York/ 212.226.1033
- Marcella’s /Wash/ Chevy Chase/ 301.951.1818
- The Pasta Shop /San Francisco/ 510.5457.4005

Americans travel less to Italy in the autumn and this is a missed opportunity. Besides the delightful 60-degree weather found in Tuscany in October and the 70-degree temperatures in Sicily well into late November, here are some exceptional events worth noting on your calendar. These include:

- International Antique Show (Florence) Sept 15
- Fashion Week (in Milano)…Sept 23 – Oct 1
- World Boat Show (Genoa)…Oct 7 – 15
- Italian Grand Prix… Sept 7-11
- International Film Festival (in Milano)…Nov 12-16
- Opera Season Premiere, La Scala (in Milano)…Dec 7

Some travel agents are notorious for claims “only we have the inside track” on getting this reservation or that villa. Travelers naturally seek experiences which are exclusive and not so “touristy’ so they easily succumb to the travel pro hype. Case in point: there’s one travel agency boasting of its access in Italy to a private luncheon with a genuine Sicilian princess. The claim: all this can be yours for the nominal charge of $1425 USD. The only trouble is you can have the same dining experience for $1000 less by just emailing Princess Maria Carla Borghese at biviere@sicilyonline.it. Beware of the hype. Instead, choose the travel consultant that simply worries the details and you’ll have a great time. (Source: Wall Street Journal).

The gothic cathedral in Milan is one of the most impressive structures in the world of Catholicism so a recent banner ad caught many by surprise. Last week onlookers were presented with a large picture of the controversial rock star Madonna hanging from the Duomo’s side. The ad is part of fundraising campaign for the church’s restoration. Still, critics found it ‘inappropriate” to have even a clothed image of a singer connected to the cathedral since her past work includes her ‘92 book “Sex” described by some as pornographic. The church needs the restoration and the money derived from the campaign so the Duomo’s Monsignor decided the banner stays put. Milan’s culture minister defended the ad saying, “The other parts of the building are full of devils and demons. So an infernal Madonna shouldn’t hurt us too badly.”

This October (and again in June ‘07) Aielli & Benevento will offer a unique touring experience in Tuscany. The one week luxury travel program will visit the region’s leading Brunello and Chianti wine estates, include gourmet dining each day as well as a wine guide and chauffeured car. Based at the most luxurious, five star property in Tuscany, this touring experience is available to couples and private groups up to 10.

For the complete “Wine Harvest Escape”, email us at: info@aielli-benevento.it .

A surprise can be found in the trunk of the next Monza or Spider you decide to buy from Ferrari. The latest issue of Men’s Journal reports that the Italian sports car maker has been outfitting customers’ trunks with ultra-chic Italian luggage by Schedoni. Never heard of Schedoni? They started making shoes 125 years ago and gravitated to be the premium brand in fine leather accessories. A typical travel duffel can go $1500 and up. Schedoni really does know leather…the duffel’s finish is designed to darken to the color of cognac in about a decade. Lamborghini and Maserati have both followed Ferrari with this nice little add-on.