Vote Now Through Oct 29th

Cultural Program 

HEALING JOURNEYS WITH

THE BLACK MADONNA OF MONTEVERGINE, Avellino (Campania)

7:00pm -9:00pm

FOLLOWED BY A CONCERT 

Singer, percussionist, author & teacher, artist in residence at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York City proudly presents her book

Sharing chants, rhythms, and sacred songs, accompanied by 12 audio tracks, Alessandra Belloni details how she uses these therapeutic musical practices to heal women and men and shows how these practices can be used for self-healing and transformation, including the use of the Tarantella for personal healing.

Light fare and refreshments will be provided. 

Cultural Program

Movie Night - Featuring Big Night

7:00pm -9:00pm

With Beatrice Alecci, Program Director

As we conclude the Italian Heritage and Culture Month, we are proud to screen the movie Big Night starring Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub

Chef Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and businessman Secondo (Stanley Tucci) are immigrant brothers from Italy who open their dream restaurant, Paradise, in New Jersey. However, Primo's authentic food is too unfamiliar for the local tastes, and the restaurant is struggling. When famous Italian-American bandleader Louis Prima is scheduled to appear at Paradise, the two brothers put all of their efforts into the important meal, which will likely decide the fate of their restaurant.

Refreshments and a light reception will follow. 

Cultural Program

Celebrating Leonardo Da Vinci 500 Years After His Death (1452-1519)

7:00pm - 9:00pm

With Dr. Snjezana Smodlaka

What did Leonardo look like? Why did he leave so many paintings unfinished? Why did he write backwards? Why is his Mona Lisa so famous?

Leonardo da Vinci, Italian painter, architect, writer, inventor, draftsman, mechanical engineer, botanist, anatomist, geologist, zoologist, astronomer, cartographer, was engaged also in mechanics, hydraulics, aerodynamics, optics and study of atmospheric phenomena. In his notebooks he drew detailed designs for parachutes, helicopters, airplanes and other machines that were invented hundreds of years later. Creation of new art techniques - sfumato and aerial perspective-, in addition to blending science and art made his paintings Annunciation, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper among the most famous and influential paintings of the Renaissance.

Versatility of his interests and accomplishments are the best image of what we think under the term Renaissance ideal.

Refreshments and a light reception will follow.

 Cultural Program

Italian Geniuses & Colorful Personalities

With Carla Gambescia

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Join us for a fun interactive evening  led by 

award-winning author and  cultural expert Carla Gambescia exploring Italian geniuses and some 

of Italy’s most colorful personalities through 

the ages. 

Through an engaging Q & A format, you will test your knowledge while discovering surprising fun facts and little known backstories. Even the most sophisticated Italophile will come away with new insights!!  

Carla’s book — La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z, winner of the Silver Prize for Best Travel Book of the Year awarded by the North American Travel Journalists Association — will be available for sale at a special Casa Belvedere Holiday price of $10 (retail price is 19.95), perfect for holiday gift-giving.

Refreshments and a light reception will follow.