Ambassador National Italian American Foundation Vol . 30, No.4 Q Summer 2019 Q www.niaf.org Summer Travel Issue! Coastal Molise Italy’s Tricky Traffic Laws Hidden Town of Todi Matera Transformed Grilling Italian Amalfi Fishing Village of Cetara 59507_Magazine.indd 1 6/15/19 10:50 AM gw.pdf 1 6/18/19 12:38 PM A 59507_Magazine.indd 2 6/15/19 10:50 AM gw.pdf 2 6/18/19 12:38 PM Ambassador The Publication of the National Italian American Foundation Vol . 30, No.4 Q Summer Q www.niaf.org CONTENTS 30 Features 30 Termoli 38 In the Zone Molise’s Coastal Treasure Steering Around Italy’s ZTL By Susan Van Allen Tricky Traffic Restrictions By Paul Spadoni 51146 34 The Town of Todi A Hidden Jewel in the 42 Transforming Matera Center of Italy The 2019 European Capital Patricia de Stacy Harrison By Frank Van Riper of Culture in Basilicata Gabriel A. Battista Co-chairs By Karen Haid Don Oldenburg Director of Publications and Editor 46 Palazzo Mirto in Palermo Natalie Wulderk The Lost World of the Sicilian Communications Manager and Assistant Editor Nobility Displayed Gabriella Mileti By Theresa Maggio Bottega NIAF Editor AMBASSADOR Magazine is published by the National 49 Savvy Traveling Italian American Foundation Tips for Your Next Trip to Italy On the Cover: (NIAF) 34 and Elsewhere 1860 19th Street NW With the announcement Washington DC 20009 By Frank Van Riper that Molise is NIAF’s POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Sections 2019 Region of Honor, NIAF, 1860 19th Street NW what could be more Washington DC 20009 Lettere 6 52 Cetara on the Amalfi Coast appropriate for the ©2019 The National Italian Foundation Focus 10 Preserving Centuries-Old cover image of our American Foundation (NIAF). Fishing Traditions No portion of this magazine Foundation Focus 13 Summer Travel issue may be reproduced without By Laura Thayer NIAF On Location 17 than the medieval written permission from NIAF. Single issue price: $15 Bottega NIAF 18 Molise seaside town of Termoli and one ISSN 1000-9999 Paesani 20 Tasting the Top Shelf 57 of its picturesque NIAF Wine Spectator’s Leading 1860 19th Street NW Ciao Italia 26 trabucchi mechanical 2018 Italian Wines Washington, DC 20009 Cinema 60 fishing piers that are Tel. 202-387-0600 By Dick Rosano www.niaf.org Between The Pages 64 iconic of the region? Design: Barbieri & Green, Inc. On Sports 73 Photo: Landscape Printing: Mosaic NIAF Insider 74 Stock Photos/ Crossword 80 Shutterstock.com 59507_Magazine.indd 1 6/15/19 10:50 AM gw.pdf 3 6/18/19 12:38 PM 59507_Magazine.indd 2 6/15/19 10:50 AM gw.pdf 4 6/18/19 12:38 PM 59507_Magazine.indd 3 6/15/19 10:50 AM gw.pdf 5 6/18/19 12:38 PM Chairpersons Gabriel A. Battista Hon. Patricia de Stacy Harrison Vice Chairs Kenneth J. Aspromonte From the John F. Calvelli Robert E. Carlucci Hon. Anita Bevacqua FROM THE CHAIRMAN McBride BETWEEN THE PAGES FROM CO-CHAIRS NIAF Co-Chairs Executive Vice Presidents Robert V. Allegrini Hon. Frank Giordano Gerald S. LaRocca Summer isn’t the only reason our work In June, NIAF is sending 19 exception- Secretary Linda R. Carlozzi is heating up at the National Italian Ameri- al students on our 2019 Ambassador Peter General Counsel can Foundation. As we approach the halfway F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery program to Joseph D. Lonardo mark in 2019, we are working harder than Molise, where they will engage in experiential Founding Chairman ever to preserve and promote our rich cul- learning throughout their first-ever trip to Jeno F. Paulucci ture and heritage, to help educate and pre- the bel paese. While there, they will meet with Chairmen Emeriti Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli pare the next generation of Italian American members of NIAF’s Board of Directors during Jerry Colangelo leaders, to serve as a voice for the Italian their 2019 Mission to Italy—a trip that will in- Joseph V. Del Raso Hon. Frank J. Guarini American community in the nation’s capital, clude a Board Meeting in Rome and travel to Frank D. Stella and to maintain and enhance ties between Molise where the delegation will confer with Board Emeriti Matthew J. DiDomenico Sr. our country and Italy. business and government dignitaries. Mario J. Gabelli Through NIAF’s far-reaching programs So much more is happening at NIAF Richard A. Grasso Francesco Nicotra and educational initiatives, we are achieving and in our vibrant community! And you Aileen Riotto-Sirey Salvatore M. Salibello the goals that are at the core of the Foun- can read about it in the pages of this new Salvatore J. Zizza dation’s mission. Once again, on April 9, at Summer Travel issue of Ambassador maga- Board of Director the elegant Cipriani 42nd Street in New York zine. As you enjoy this issue’s stories and fine Peter J. Arduini Maria Bartiromo City, NIAF hosted its annual New York Gala, photography, please consider renewing or Chris Berardini Nicholas R. Caiazzo, Esq. where it officially announced the NIAF 2019 upgrading your NIAF membership. If you ar- Paolo Catalfamo Hon. Capri S. Cafaro Region of Honor, Molise. An evening filled en’t a member, we welcome you to join us in Joseph M. Della Ratta with spirited camaraderie, high-powered building an everlasting bridge between those Antonio De Matteis Anthony S. DiSandro Jr., Esq. networking and Italian American pride, the whose sacrifices made our lives in the United Hon. Mike Ferguson Dr. Antonio Giordano sold-out Gala also recognized the achieve- States possible and the future generations of Vincent J. Lumia Joseph H. Moglia ments of three distinguished honorees while Italian Americans. Dr. John P. Rosa raising funds to support NIAF’s scholarships, On behalf of the NIAF Board of Direc- Philip L. Rinaldi Alfonso Ruffo grants and other educational programs. tors and staff, we thank you for your continu- Hon. Basil M. Russo, Esq. George Simeone Spring was a busy season for NIAF’s ing support of our important mission. Safe Louis E. Tosi Public Policy program, with highlights in- travels this summer. cluding the NIAF Sixth Annual Mark Valente III Memorial Congressional Bocce Ball Tournament where the cordial competition attracted members of Congress from the Patricia de Stacy Harrison Italian American Congressional Delegation NIAF Co-chair and officials from the Italian Embassy; and NIAF’s Summer Spritz Social on Capitol Hill that drew a crowd of young members of the Italian American Congressional Staff Asso- Gabriel A. Battista WWW.NIAF.ORG ciation—an invaluable part of NIAF’s youth initiative and Washington-area community. NIAF Co-chair 4 Ambassador 59507_Magazine.indd 4 6/15/19 10:51 AM gw.pdf 6 6/18/19 12:38 PM The thankDa Vinci Council is NIAF’syou way of saying to its members donating $2,500 each and every year. %8#,53)6%/&&%23 | BUSINESS NETWORKING FORUMS 05",)#0/,)#9%6%.43\FOOD & WINE /00/245.)4)%3 For successful Italian American business men and women who wish to support NIAF’s heritage focused programs— this is the perfect way to show your support. Learn more: www.niaf.org/davinci 59507_Magazine.indd 5 6/15/19 10:51 AM gw.pdf 7 6/18/19 12:38 PM Reader Feedback Taking Leonardo Personally modern scholarly edition last year In the story Da Vinci and Me with a team of Leonardo special- (Spring 2019 Ambassador): I love ists. Francesca Fiorani’s wonderful the way in which all the respondents website (www.treatiseonpainting.org) LETTERE reinforced one another—as though makes accessible via Internet nearly we were all saying the same thing in all of the pre-publication manuscript different ways, different personal copies. My team studied these man- emphases out of which a consistent uscripts (in the original) to track the understanding of Leonardo emerges. transmission of Leonardo’s recorded I personally thought Walter ideas over 130 years involving four In general, Leonardo specialists Isaacson gave the best answer—a great generations of editors. Fiorani’s work in teams because the material way to close your article. He conveyed digital project was a valuable research has become so complicated, but at the important information about Leonar- tool for us and facilitates countless same time each one of us is individu- do’s studies, especially of his specific other projects. Our publication makes ally committed to Leonardo studies. interest in optics, in a manner modern the only version of Leonardo’s trea- And your article does a beautiful job readers can understand. tise on painting known until the 19th of bringing that to the attention of a These are principal subjects in century accessible to a modern audi- broad public in ways that will interest Leonardo’s Trattato della pittura issued ence by providing historical, intellec- them and make them feel included. in 1651 and the text I published in a tual and philological context. — Claire Farago Professor Emerita, University Dante Mortet’s Sculpting of Colorado Boulder Thanks for that enjoyable visit to sculptor Principal author of Dante Mortet’s “hands-on” studio in Rome (Dante’s The Fabrication of Leonardo da Celebrity Inferno; Spring 2019 Ambassador). Like so Vinci’s Trattato della Pittura much in your magazine, the story was both Los Angeles, Calif. entertaining and educational. — M. Rua CORRECTION New York, N.Y. Jaillen Yehia In the Spring 2019 issue of Ambassador, the story Da Vinci and Me: Leonardo’s Influence Side Dish Delicacy on Those Who Know Him Best incorrectly I loved Mary Ann Esposito’s story Stalking listed the publication date of Claire Farago’s Asparagus (Spring 2019 Ambassador), as I recently anthology Re-Reading Leonardo: The Trea- had the privilege of sampling the renowned white tise on Painting across Europe, 1500-1900, asparagus of the Veneto region.