Beppe Grillo

Beppe Grillo is one of the most popular Italian comedians. His shows focus on themes like political and corporate corruption, energy usage, finance, technology and freedom of speech, all topics that are very sensitive to Italian citizens.
If you are interested in taking a peek at the major 'pain points' of Italy, then check out Beppe's blog. According to Technorati, it's the #1 blog in Italy and #10 blog in all the blogsphere.
The New York Time has featured him today on their home page with a very educational video that summarizes it all:
Beppe Grillo: The Comic Who Shook Italy.

Coffee shops and slot machines

I just returned from a two-weeks vacation in Italy where I collected plenty of new material for future podcasts and blog postings.
One of the emerging trends that I've been witnessing is the proliferation of slot machines (called New Slots) in Italian coffee shops (Bars).
Gambling is a heavily regulated activity in Italy. State laws have severely constrained the number of casinos on the territory. Nevertheless, many Italians keep fueling the flourishing business of state-run bingos and instant scratch games, such as Totocalcio, Gratta e Vinci, Enalotto and more.
The New Slots are an affordable way to pursue this thrill on a budget. The maximum bet is Euro 1 and you can cash out up to Euro 50 (slated to double next year to Euro 100). The chances to win are also extremely low. Overall, a bad deal across the board even if you feel homesick of your recent trip to Vegas.

Happy Birthday in Italian (video)

My daughter Silvia has turned 7 and we decided to give her a nice present: a trip to Yosemite National Park to celebrate her birthday with her friend Amanda Maruzzi.
Amanda lives in Milan and was visiting California with the family. For the past 6 consecutive years, the two little girls managed to celebrate this special day together. We decided the tradition should live on.
In this video you'll learn how to sing Happy Birthday (Buon Compleanno) in Italian. Enjoy!

- Can't see the video? Watch it from YouTube
- iPod version (MP4 - 5.3Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 2.5Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave her a comment here or on YouTube. She loves feedback!

Ferragosto

If you happened to visit Italy during August, you may have noticed that many businesses are closed for the traditional summer vacation and many Italians have already headed to the beach. August is the month when most of the country shuts down, including the big manufacturing industries.

The pinnancle of the summer in Italy is August 15th and is called Ferragosto. This day is also a national holiday celebrated by the Catholic Church. For tourists, Ferragosto can be a good moment to visit the big cities, unusually empty, even if some museums and services may be closed too. Local festivals (called sagre) and bigger events abound all across the country. The Italy for Visitors guide on About.com has compiled a nice list of key events happening this summer.

Strikes in Italy

When you plan internal transfers from various Italian locations, it's always a good idea to budget some buffer time for unforeseen circumstances. Strikes (scioperi) and delays (ritardi) are normal everyday events.
In my last trip home, the Venice airport personnel announced a couple of hours strike on the spot because some union negotiations weren't going as they hoped. After traveling for 14 hours from Seattle, that wasn't necessary the best 'Welcome home' news I was expecting. I was lucky to see my luggage showing up on the belt right at the announcement, but I bet the next load of passengers wouldn't be that happy.
Sometimes friends ask me to review their itineraries. When I see their Italian vacation scheduled by the hour and packed with various transportation from city to city, I warn them that is a recipe for frustration. Trains have gotten better in recent years, but strikes are very common. Be flexible and prepared to cope with some delays and you'll enjoy your trip even more.

Give your baby an Italian name

What are the most popular baby names in Italy? Here is a recent top 10 list reflecting the most popular boys & girls names in 2006:

BOYS
- Andrea
- Lorenzo
- Simone
- Paolo
- Marco
- Francesco
- Luca
- Tommaso
- Christian
- Alessandro

GIRLS
- Giulia
- Alessia
- Alice
- Chiara
- Gaia
- Ginevra
- Emma
- Ilaria
- Viola
- Ludovica

And here is the top 20 most widely used names among Italians of all ages. While certain names are still current, others have definitely fallen off the charts. One more thing to keep in mind during the stressful process of naming your baby :-)

The Etiquette of Gift Giving in Italy

If you happen to be invited by somebody in Italy, you may wish to bring along a small gift to the host. If the event is a dinner, you should consider a small gift for the host's wife, who'll likely spend the time doing the cooking. Flowers and crafts are always welcome (and neutral) presents. My suggestion is to avoid bringing specialty food from your country (with the exception of alcohol), unless you know your host is an open-minded person. Italy's cuisine is quite good, and you should resist the temptation to bring that Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip that you love so much at home...

If you visit a family, consider a small present for the kids as well. I've been asked often by my friends in Italy to bring along hats, t-shirts or other apparel with some branding of my city (Seattle), local sport teams, and even Microsoft!

Regardless of the present, please make sure to cover or eliminate the sticker price. In Italy, it's against the etiquette of gift giving to clearly showcase how much you spent for the gift. It's likely that your host may offer you some home-made food that is the result of pure labor of love, which is a priceless experience and should be kept as such.

Here is a good article with more tips on personal / business gift giving in Italy.

The Almanac of Frate Indovino

The Cappuccini monks publish every year the most popular almanac in Italy: Il Calendario di Frate Indovino (the almanac of monk Indovino). Started more than 60 years ago, this publication is filled with popular proverbs, advice on good and natural health, humor and wisdom. Each day of the year has associated one or more saints, yet not enough to represent all 10,000 named saints from history.

No more smoking inside (finally)

In January 2005, Italy has introduced a new law that prohibits anybody to smoke in restaurants, coffee shops and other public services. Oddly enough, Italians have reacted positively to this law. Business owners have promptly installed high tables, external gas heaters and plenty of ash trays outside their premises. The result is a win-win situation where customers inside can enjoy a smoke-free environment, and smokers outside can still have their cigarette while practicing some people watching.

I've got a good bargain on a Valentino's purse

Naples is a city like no other in Italy. I'd define it as the capital of the 'art of survival'. Nothing there comes even close to the normal rules of order. Historical inefficiencies in public services and a local culture that favors workarounds rather than fixing things, has nurtured an unsually creative spirit in Naples citizens. Within certain limits, even some not so legal activities are widely accepted. This man was selling his counterfeited bags right in front of a police station. I guess also some policeman's wife would prefer to save some bucks on a pretty purse...

The newsstand

Italian newsstands are usually family run small businesses that make their appearance in every major square or street. The edicola carries magazines, newspapers, bus tickets, DVDs, computer CDs and variety of collect-me-forever weekly issues of encyclopedias of all kinds. While newspapers may tell you the latest on the country's politics, the owner of the newsstand will be the most informed person on what happens in the neighborhood.

A very personal encounter: the bidet

Bidets are extremely popular low-mounted plumbing fixtures that you'll find in almost any private house in Italy. Wikipedia can give you the full history of this very useful device, which I missed tremendously when I first moved to USA. You should consider giving it a try, if it's available in your hotel room. Upon your return, you may be tempted to consider installing one in you new remodeled bathroom (and that's exactly what I did in my house...).

Sunday flea markets

In US, we call them Flea Markets, but in Italy they are known as Mercatini dell'antiquariato. Each town has it's own mercatino, usually happening on Sundays and on a monthly recurrence. It's a boon for tourists who want to bring home a piece of contemporary Italian history. Before you leave, try to Google for 'Mercati fiere' and add the name of the city you are going to visit. You'll likely end up with several relevant links to lists of local events you may be interested to attend. Of course, none of these information is in English :-(

The best dryer is the sun (and it's free)

What's the deal of hanging your underwear outside your window? Let's face it: dryers are a nice invention that haven't conquered Italy yet. Most of Italian housewives will claim that dryers can damage delicate garment (which is true), and natural air is the best and most economical drying process. Reality is that condos in Italy are quite small, and there is no left space for nice-to-have appliances. Just another enjoyable experience of walking on Italian streets...

It's a boy!

At a time when blogs, web sites and digital photos can reach the furthest friends around the world, you may still miss the chance to let your neighbors know about your greatest news ever: your kid is born. Colored bows (blu = boy, pink = girl) attached to doors or anything that moves (car antennas, scooters, etc.) are the best way to advertise the happy news. The rest organically happens when your favorite butcher, postman or hairdresser will spread the news to their customers. That's what I call social tam tam.