Columns

I remember a day, many years ago, that dawned gray and raw. Peering down from behind my sixth-floor window, I saw what had been a typical South Bronx street mantled in drifts of untrodden snow. Fat flakes were still falling obliquely against the streetlights, and the Sears Car Repair Center parking lot directly beneath my window looked eerie. Its ingrained splotches of motor oil had been temporarily blanketed, and the candy store/bookie joint across the street looked almost cozy. A stray dog crossed the deserted road, leaving tiny paw prints behind as he picked his way amid the swirling snowfall. …

Imagine sipping an espresso on your sun-drenched terrace in Puglia, reading your latest copy of the soon to be released digital version of Fra Noi, and thinking, “I could get used to this.” If you’re an Italian-American considering moving to Italy for retirement, there’s a special tax regime that might make the decision even sweeter — a flat 7% tax on all your foreign income, including pensions. But before packing up and heading south, it’s important to understand who qualifies and how the regime works. Here’s a clear, friendly guide to help you navigate Italy’s 7% flat tax for foreign …

What’s in a name? More than you know, actually. More than I know. Today’s journey shows us that names are not consistent, even though we would hope they are. I hope I am able to explain how you should make decisions regarding names, even when they aren’t 100% perfect. Here are the traditional rules for naming children: Rule 1: First son is named for his father’s father. Rule 2: First daughter is named for her father’s mother. Rule 3: Second son is almost always named for mother’s father, except when there are two grandfathers with the same first name. They …

Here we are once again, with thanks on our mind, and we have plenty to be thankful for. Having grown up or lived in the Roseland-Kensington-Pullman neighborhoods, many of us have certainly had occasion to pay our last respects at the Panozzo Brothers Funeral Home. The business began on 115th Street and moved further east to Calumet Avenue until they eventually left Roseland for Chicago Heights. Throughout the years, our ability to have a steadfast reliance on Panozzo’s in their time of need was always reassuring. I recall as a child having to accompany my parents whenever a close friend …

Just as the Venice International Film Festival wrapped up in September with the Best Actor prize awarded to Toni Servillo for his role in Paolo Sorrentino’s “La grazia,” the Toronto International Film Festival began with 10 Italian films making their North American premiere. Among them was Pietro Marcello’s much anticipated “Duse,” which was featured in the festivals Centerpiece program. The film follows the last years of Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse who was active in the later part of the 1800’s until 1909 when she retired from acting. “The choice to focus on the last years of her life came …

When I was a little kid in the Bronx, I naturally imbibed my notions of thrift from my parents and our Italian American milieu. An example occurs to me from the time I conceived a craving for Silly Putty. My mother and I were in the five-and-dime on Third Avenue when, right there on a toy shelf, I spotted a few dozen of the little plastic eggs that had become the latest childhood craze. But it occurred to me, what can you really do with Silly Putty, which was essentially a big wad of gum? Yes, it bounced and could …

Even beginning Italian students tend to notice how similar many Italian words are to English. This is because most words used today in modern Italian, and many words in English, have their roots in the Latin language spoken long ago by the Romans.*   In linguistic terms, words in two different languages that have a common origin and a similar meaning are called “cognates.”  Given the close relationship between languages that cognates foster, these words can be thought of as “true friends.” This is good news for English speakers learning Italian as a second language; recognizing these words can greatly …

It’s a common — and unfortunately frustrating — story for many who rent property in Italy. The lease ends, the keys are returned, everything seems in order … and then the landlord vanishes, or worse, claims you’re not getting your deposit back. No damages? No unpaid rent? Still no refund. What can you do? And what does Italian law really say about security deposits? Let’s break it down. Under Italian law, the security deposit (deposito cauzionale) serves one purpose: to guarantee the landlord in case of unpaid rent or damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. According to Article 11 of …

October is often a time for fresh starts — new routines, new projects, and the return of structure after the haze of summer. If you’re an Italian citizen living abroad, this might also be the right moment to check whether your relationship with Italy is in good legal and bureaucratic shape. And right at the center of that relationship is AIRE: the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad. What is AIRE, really? And what can it do for you — not just in theory, but in practice, today, in 2025? Let’s start with the basics. AIRE stands for Anagrafe degli Italiani …

Probably all of us miss our relatives who have passed away. Many of us wish they were still here for many reasons. They might keep the “Italian culture” more the old way, with Sunday dinners and family being closer than they are today. Many of us just miss the people and would like to speak to them one more time, to let them know what happened since they left. And genealogists want to ask them a BUNCH of questions! I was reminded of this the last time I saw the movie “5000 Miles From Home.” If you do not own …