Welcome to Coffee Chat at Casa

A pause from the daily grind that will transport your imagination to “La Dolce Vita” in Italy … be sure to have an espresso in hand and enjoy!

The Charming and Sophisticated Beauty of Modena

Have you ever heard of Modena?

Located in in the region Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, it is a little jewel that combines the best of city life and small-town living. Elegant, rich in history, lively in a gentle way, it is welcoming and warm with the golden hue of most of its buildings. Modena is sophisticated, with adorable small shops and cafes under exquisite portici.

Relax in the Italian Countryside and Farmhouses

Italy’s cities offer cultural wonders, famous restaurants, tourist attractions, and lots of hotels. But the beauty of the Italian countryside is best experienced through “agriturismo” in which tourists can stay on a farm. Some are rustic and perfect for families. Others have high-end amenities like pools and luxurious private suites.

Il Palio di Siena

Tourists visit Italy for amazing scenery, delicious food, ancient ruins, and artistic masterpieces. And some travel to Siena for a chaotic theatrical spectacle that lasts about 90 seconds. Il Palio is a bareback horse race held twice each summer, the climax of a fiercely competitive, all-consuming year-round rivalry between the 17 contrade (districts) of Siena.

Italy’s Gorgeous Lakes

Italy is blessed with amazing lakes that are postcard-perfect, each with special characteristics and beauty created by Ice Age glaciers that carved out the Alps. Two of the most famous are Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, but other lakes in the region have their own charms. The biggest crowds visit the lakes in Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto in July and August. For a calmer atmosphere, consider an Italian lakes vacation in May, June or September.

Explore the Mountains in the Summer

Italy is home to mountain ranges with majestic and breathtaking views in the North and also all along the “boot” going south. For those who prefer something cooler than Italy’s famous beaches in the summer, Italy’s northern mountains provide lush landscapes, majestic backdrops, and many charming towns.

Summer Music Festivals in Italy

Summer music festivals are popular for so many reasons: warm weather, large arenas with amazing acoustics, and the conviviality of thousands of people who enjoy the same music. And because the musicians on stage are being cheered by hundreds or even thousands of adoring fans, the charged atmosphere is musically and theatrically spectacular.

Italian Fathers

In the United States, Father’s Day is celebrated every June. In Italy, fathers are feted on St. Joseph Day every March 19. So technically, Italian-American daddies are celebrated with two holidays!

Naples Culinary Tour

Many legendary Italian culinary specialties originated in Naples and its surrounding Campania region, and have become some of the most popular and recognized Italian foods around the world – especially pizza and pasta.

Women’s Suffrage in the United States – Staten Island included

Almost 100 years ago, American women were finally granted the Constitutional right to vote in elections, known as the right of suffrage. It took many years of protest to achieve that right, and women are still working today to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

Italian Hand Gestures and Greetings

Italians are blessed with a colorful culture, and are famous for expressing themselves with dramatic flair. That includes hand gestures that accompany a wide range of expressions, everything from friendly to crude. Italians talk with their hands – literally. If you ask an Italian to sit on their hands while speaking, it would likely be a very short experiment.

Nonno’s Garden

Food sourcing is one of many challenges being faced during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are experiencing local markets with empty produce shelves, which makes the idea of bringing back “Nonno’s Garden” more relevant than ever before!

The role of mothers in Italy

Many mothers in Italy embrace their matriarchal roles of creating a loving, stable home for their children, and maintaining traditions that revolve around culture, religion, – and food.

Italy’s Car Culture

Italy’s reputation for fabulous food and magnificent art dates back many centuries, but in the past 100 years, Italy has also earned a respected reputation for creating some of the world’s most evocative automobiles.

Experiencing the Arts during the COVID-19 Crises

Connection is at the very core of how we appreciate the arts. As we gather in front of a painting, or to enjoy a play or musical performance, we meet others while also relating with the art form itself. The pandemic, however, has paused the world as we knew it, putting a halt to visiting museums or enjoying many other arts and cultural experiences and attractions.

Celebrating Easter in Italy Amidst a Global Pandemic

Easter in Italy is a fervently celebrated holiday, second only to Christmas in its importance, and commemorated on a much grander scale compared to other parts of the world. It’s a holiday marked with striking rituals and traditions, from the Holy Week observance of solemn processions and masses, to the Easter Vigil, to the celebration of the Easter Sunday Mass, said by the Pope at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

La Bella Figura

A Strong Influence in the Italian Culture

Italy is a country where the ‘bella figura’, ‘making a good impression’, is extremely important. But for those outside of Italy it’s hard to grasp, as it can mean many things. From emphasizing outward visual beauty and aesthetics, to exhibiting proper behavior and etiquette, to always striving for perfection. But always, at its core, is passing the test of judgement by the “social eye”.

Italy’s Coffee Culture

Invigorating sounds of spirited conversations, the hissing of the milk steamer, the thumping of filters being emptied, the clatter of the cups and saucers uniting, the clinking of tiny spoons, the shaking and stirring of sugar packets, and the heavenly aroma of fresh ground coffee beans…..You must be at an Italian “Bar” right now? 

St. Joseph’s Day

Whether you’re of Italian origin or not, if you grew up in an Italian neighborhood, you know that Italians have lots of traditions, favorite dishes and coveted recipes for every special occasion, birthday, holiday, Saints Day, etc.