Articles by: Samantha Janazzo

Exciting opportunities are ahead for the remains of Ancient Rome. In order to ensure the highest level of preseravtion quality and revenue, the Colosseum, Domus Aurea, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum will form one archaeological park under the same management, as opposed to being governed by different branches. Dario Franceschini,  current Minister of Heritage and Cultural Activity and Tourism, is enthusiastically pioneering this project. He explains that autonomous management ensures the highest level of protection and maintenance of these principal landmarks.

Reforms for better management of the Colosseum have been underway since 2014. This is normal protocol for maintaining cultural ruins and museums. As Franceschini shared, reforms for the Uffizi went though similar management changes, which resulted in immediate revenue increases; therefore, the future of the grand park in Rome looks optimistic. 

The new management will insure that the revenue of ticket sales and government funding go directly to the maintenance of the parks. The Special Superintendency, an independent branch that specializes in accountancy and management, is absorbing the duties of the Ordinary Superintendency. The former's position will be morphed to physically oversee the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Predicted revenue post-transition will be about $150 million euro annually after state funding and ticket sales.

Another important step includes the selection of a fit director who will be responsible for everything this park entails. This continues the autonomous aspect that has worked well for national parks and museums in the past. The selection process is open internationally and will begin in the near future. 

Already this transition has caused new improvements, such as increased visitation, better services, and more money in the budget to update the archaeological park. Overall, it is far more practical to have one branch covering all the main historic tourist locations and to treat them as one large park. Geographically the parks are close enough to be considered one. Fiscally Rome will control the revenue of the parks as a whole, and put money towards important structural and aesthetical repairs. 

The highly anticipated 56th edition of "Calciatori Figurine 2016-2017" Serie A Soccer Player Sticker Album by Panini is finally available and sporting spiffy new features. Devoted soccer fanatics, old and young alike, excitedly hit local newsstands to get their hands on this year’s 128-page collection.

The Panini Group specializes in sticker portfolios, bringing together collectors and fans since the early 1960s when Giuseppe Panini began selling rare soccer figurine (stickers attached with glue) with his brother in Modena, Italy. It only took one year for the phenonomen to gain speed, as Panini sold over 3 million stickers his first year in the industry. The multi-million dollar business continues to expand today, showcasing a variety of different sports and athletes.

On the cover of the 56th edition of Calciatori Figurine is, once again, 1940’s iconic soccer defensive mid-fielder Carlo Parola performing his perfectly executed acrobatic bicycle kick; which earned his legacy as a notorious Italian soccer player. The design team at Panini chose a colorful street-art inspired cover complete with shades of blue, green, yellow and red; but it’s what inside that is truly enticing collectors.

The stickers are slightly larger this year and contain more detailed information about the players. Along with photographs of the soccer stars, information about their birthplace, preferred foot, and other various stats about their career are included. Another new feature is a star that has been placed on certain player's stickers to indicate whether or not they are on the Italian National Team.

Panini Italy experimented with new materials like satin, mesh, holograms, metallic topcoats, and holographic trophies in the 2016-2017 edition. The design and marketing team work to constantly take their designs to the next level, maintaining a solid clientele base since the early 1960s.

Featured in a never before seen section are 11 caricatures of Italian players drawn by collectors. The marketing team of Panini Italy decided to take an artistic approach in adding new content to really hone and grapple with the demands of the new generation of collectors. Innovation and creativity are crucial aspects to the business of collectibles with the proper balance of tradition to keep consumers satisfied and enthusiastic.

Players have expressed their appreciation and approval for this year’s trading sticker book, though Panini took risks in changing the sticker sizes and adding to the book, it is being received as an overall success. Collectors are eager to add to their growing assortments, some that have been passed down through the years, others that are new and growing in value each day with a story behind each sticker. 

From Italy’s northernmost cities down to the southern coasts of Sicily, Christmas culinary traditions change from one region to the next, just like the climate. However, one very important commonality connects them all: great food! Panettone, pandoro, seafood, soup, pasta, meat and more keep Christmas spirits bright and appetites satisfied with the world’s merriest holiday. Throughout Italy, the highly anticipated feast production either begins on the 24th or the 25th of December. The activity continues through the 26th for Saint Steven’s day, a National holiday where family togetherness continues with card games and relaxation. 

Let’s explore a few regions of Italy and the dishes that might be found on the dinner table during Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. One wonderful thing about tradition is its ability to adapt and change year to year and generation to generation. Some of the dishes stated may not be precisely how every holiday specific to the region is celebrated in Italy, but it will provide a general understanding of Christmas cookery.

Residents of Lombary, depending on their family tradition, celebrate the largest portion of Christmas on the 25th. It is, however, typical to have a lighter meal the previous night. On the dinner table you will find a large golden turkey, or faraona, stuffed with chestnuts, pine nuts, sweetened glazed fruit, that glistens with smeared fresh marmalade. This truly provides the perfect sweet, savory, and salty combination. From the remaining juice of the boiled meat, a gorgeous steaming tortellini soup is prepared that will keep the Italian tradition warm and tasty with each spoonful.

A Veneto Christmas is a true delight, the large celebration commences with a seafood based Christmas Eve. Baccalà, or cod, is whipped into a decadent fluffy cream and spread on fresh warm bread for an appetizer. Dinner is complete with fresh polenta topped generously with tiny sauteed shrimp and paired with a classic red tomato sauce. Fruity Pandoro with light mascarpone cream will cure all the long awaited Christmas cravings.

A Christmas in Tuscany usually kicks off midday on the 25th of December. Wide pieces of fresh spaghetti or pasta alla chitarra is accompanied by a large serving of fresh ragù that has simmered and reduced on the stove, warming the house for hours with the delicious aroma of the authentic meat sauce. Lamb or wild boar cook in the oven until golden brown for the main course paired with delicious vegetables.

Lazio celebrates the night before Christmas Day. Fritto misto alla romana is a feast of fried vegetables like artichokes, broccoli and zucchini coalesced together and enhanced with small fried pieces of baccala fish. Dinner is a piping hot savory lasagna, or a heavy pasta with red sauce for the perfect Roman Christmas.

The typical Christmas in Abruzzo is quite charming and the celebration inaugurates on Christmas Eve. Once again, pieces of baccalà are cut small and fried until perfectly crisp and golden brown with a warm and flaky exterior to be served as an appetizer. Then, the perfect red sauce is mixed with fresh tuna and served over long pieces of spaghetti for the main course. On the side is torta rustica, a classic Italian soup with a meat based broth and dumpling-like pieces of crust soaked in, normally the base is pork or another light meat with a variety of vegetables.

Christmas Eve in Calabria is a primarily meatless affair. Insalata di frutti di mare is a combination of various muscles, clams, shrimp, and calamari served in a light olive oil and garlic based juice—a wonderful dipping sauce for warm bread. The main pasta is served with tiny clams in fresh red sauce over a steaming hot plate of pasta.

A Sicilian Christmas Eve is also another pescatarian extravaganza, abundant with diverse types of fish and loads of vegetables. Sicilian eggplant caponata is a dish that bubbles with natural sapor combined with a reduction of peppers, plump tomatoes, green olives, oregano and basil for seasoning; which all cause an explosion of authenticity and flavor when served warm. For dinner, there is a mixture of swordfish with fresh tomatoes with fennel and broccoli rabe.

Whether the gastronomic marathon begins on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, it is clear to say that wherever the holiday is celebrated in Italy, there is a treat waiting at every festivity. For a small country there are countless differences in climate and food culture that transforms Christmas from one city to the next, but the reason to celebrate the season remains the same. Buon Natale!

“Your Shape” is a photographic display that will briefly exhibit at the Atlantic Gallery in Chelsea. It explores the idea of masculine identity in a search for personal individuality through various images centered on male facial hair. This focus evidently exposes the “beard trend” that has, up until now, taken over New York City and has debuted around the world throughout time.

The dedication of Milanese photographer Roberto Chierici and curator Erika Arosio, accompanied by barbers Robert Briscolini and Giovanni Cibin, have left their mark in galleries in Europe and Asia before reaching the United States.

Facial hair is beyond a simple trend; beards have transformed in time as symbols of masculinity, power, force, and wisdom. Just look at America's Presidents; there is an obvious transition from donning substantial facial hair to remaining clean-shaven. This creates a case for the significance of beards through time and raises inquiries about the meaning of the trend today.

This study seeks to prove that the artistic beard is far more psychological than the past's natural beards, whose bushy thickness was a symbol for strength and knowledge. Today, beards give men a sense of security, as they are more personalized and kept, rendering a stronger personal awareness and feeling of self- as opposed to catering to the viewer’s perception of strength of manliness. It's really more about feeling good and comfortable with yourself.

The Atlantic Gallery is developing this fascinating cultural, allegorical, and psychical approach to the nicely groomed beard. The models all posed for Roberto Chierici and were groomed by the renowned aforementioned barbers, who disclosed that beard grooming is a serious and important field in their career. It requires attention to detail, a great deal of patience, and a major understanding of what the client desires to be displayed on their face.

“Your Shape” has been exhibited across the world and people continue to be fascinated by the anthropological perspectives of the beard’s effect on civilization and time. Photography and cosmetology create a case study for an art created by barbers who, just like artists throughout history, have challenged one of the many approaches of treating the face like a canvas.