Yesterday, I spent a heartwarming morning with Michelangelo Balistreri at the Museo dell’Acciuga di Aspra in Aspra (Palermo Province). It was a journey into my family history. Anyone with fisherman roots from Sicily’s north coast will appreciate a visit to this outstanding labor of love. Michelangelo and artist Francesco Maglio have created a beautiful tribute…
Category: Art, Ceramics, Music
Southern Secrets, Final Day: A Melodious Goodbye
Live from Sicily! Southern Secrets, Final Day: Thank you from Experience Sicily and Feast on History to our guests for a wonderful 10 days! Farewell dinner… An evening of music and a little tarantella at our inn with my friend Giuseppe.
Pine Cones, Palm Leaves, And Wheat
Live from Italy! Pine cones, palm leaves, and wheat–what do they mean? The past two days, I’ve been in Bari, a major city in the region of Puglia. While in Bari, I visited two of the major churches, the late 12th century Basilica of San Nicola and the late 13th century Cathedral of San Sabino….
Serenade in Sicily
Last night our musician friends Ettore and Alfredo invited us to witness a pre-wedding serenade they were asked to perform. 100 friends and family came to listen and surprise the bride-to-be. Not the traditional intimate moment that has existed for centuries, but still, a wonderful night to be part of! Of course, the ballad “Nicuzza”…
Home Altars in Sant’Elia
Live from Sicily! This morning on my walk near where I’m staying, I took note of the home altars dedicated to the veneration of Our Lady of the Sorrows (La Vergine di S.S. Addolorata). Home altars such as these, built into the facades of homes and dedicated to various saints, are common all over Sicily.
Reflecting on Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below
Live from Sicily! Reflecting on Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below. What a joy it was to co-host this spiritual journey with wellness practitioner Tony Allicino! From experiencing The Trojan Women in Siracusa’s Teatro Antico to inhaling the sky at the Teatro Andromeda in Santo Stefano Quisquina to infusing our prayers into our…
Day 12 of Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below | Transformation
Live from Sicily! Day 12 of Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below | Transformation. The town of Salemi (led by Visit Borgo Salemi) displayed to us its rich culture of ritual bread making for San Giuseppe. The Azienda Cucchiara served us an outstanding lunch of products from their farm, including the freshest cannoli…
Day 11 of Experience Sicily Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below | Loving Kindness
Day 11 of Experience Sicily Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below | Loving Kindness. We started the day with an out-of-this-world cannolo. Got salty at the Trapani salt flats. Erice, the land of Aphrodite-Venus bewitched us with its panoramas and labyrinth of alleyways. In this sacred place, in the shadow of where a…
Day 9 of Experience Sicily Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below | Creative Minds
Live from Sicily! Day 9 of Experience Sicily Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below. With the help of Francesco, we explored the excentric mind of the Prince of Palagonia at Villa Palagonia in Bagheria. The estate’s hall of mirrors surprised and begged questions about the owner’s critical mind. Once in the vibrant center…
Day 8 of Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below, The Four Elements
Live from Sicily! Day 8 of Experience Sicily Myths & Mysteries of Sicily: As Above/So Below with Tony Allicino. The amazing Teatro Andromeda of artist Lorenzo Reina was the stage for our exploration of the four elements: earth, fire, air, and water. Thank you to Pierfilippo Spoto of Val di kam for helping us plan…