
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sicilian Olive Oil

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Baroque Sicily by Jann Huizenga

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Palermo's Principal Museums

It's been closed since July of this year and it probably won't re-open for at least another year. Instead, the city's most important art gallery has just re-opened: I'm talking about the Palazzo Abatellis Regional Art Gallery, which went through a three-year renovation.
Housed in a lovely late-15th century Catalan-Gothic palace, and put together in the 1950s by the famous Italian museum designer Carlo Scarpa, this gallery offers works by a number of medieval and Renaissance Sicilian painters and sculptors such as Antonello da Messina (his Annunciation is shown here), Francesco Laurana, Domenico and Antonello Gagini, and other painters later inspired by Caravaggio and Van Eyck, such as Pietro Novelli and Mattia Stomer.
This is a must-see if you want an in-depth look into Sicilian art history. Hours are:
Tuesday and Thursday 9 to 1 and then 2:30 to 6 PM.
Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 9 to 1.
Closed Monday.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Stay in a Castle!

The tower's atmosphere, as you can imagine, is decidedly medieval. It was built in the 12th and 13th centuries upon the city's Phoenician wall. Staying here you are literally surrounded by 25 centuries of history!
This bed and breakfast is located in the historical center near the BallarĂ² street market and yes, as the name implies, it is still the home of a count and countess. The counts Federico owe their name, and probably their ancestry, to Emperor Federick II, whose coat of arms embellishes an upper part of the tower. The tower was not actually a castle but a guard tower.
The rooms and suites are comfortable and the setting offers a taste of the true medieval spirit of an eclectic city. Visit the Palazzo Conte Federico site to reserve.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Carduna!

Labels:
cardoon sicily,
carduna
Friday, December 25, 2009
Planeta La Segreta White 2008

Few Italian whites are meant to be kept hidden away in a cellar for very long, but Planeta is leading the charge to change this longstanding tradition. That said, this is a medium-bodied, slightly fruity offering which should be enjoyed now. It's not too dry and not too overpowering.
At around (US) $15 per bottle at retail, it may break with tradition but it won't break the bank.
(Visit Best of Sicily for more about Sicilian food and wine.)
Labels:
planeta,
sicilian wine,
wine
Christmas in Sicily

The late hours of Christmas Eve are almost mystical in Sicily's cities. Towards midnight the church bells ring - even at churches where midnight mass is not celebrated - and a few teenagers who can't wait for the 31st set off firecrackers. It's usually cool, but this year, while northern Italy is buried under snow, a scirocco is keeping Sicily overcast and windy but relatively warm, at least near the coasts.
The pic here is the Christmas tree in front of Politeama, Palermo's older opera house built around 1865.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Dreaming of Sicily

Betsy Vincent (di Vincenzo) Hoffman's memoir of her first visit to Sicily describes this kind of experience. Beautifully illustrated with the watercolours of the talented Kathleen Citrolo Gwinnett - another American descendant of Sicilians who has visited our island - this lively if not very lengthy volume is a delightful read. Though not intended as a guide book in itself, it is useful as a primer, especially for those who prefer to wade into the subject instead of jumping in unprepared.
Not every sentimental journey will be similar to this one, but Ms Hoffmann's account of hers may be sufficient to start others thinking about the same kind of trip.
Betsy's description of her grandparents' experiences is touching. Here the human element is never absent. This kind of book reminds us that it is the people who make the place.
Dreaming of Sicily - A Travel Memoir can be ordered at CreateSpace.Com/3334027
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)