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‘Why shouldn’t Mussolini have an empire? All the best people in Europe have empires.’ So affirms the imperious British expat Lady Hester Random (played by Maggie Smith) in Franco Zeffirelli’s ...
With its unparalleled and legendary wines, Italy is not the first place you’d think to enjoy a pint of Guinness or glass of Jameson Irish whiskey. However, right in piazza Santa Maria Novella, the eclectic cultural heritage of Ireland is only one step away. That’s exactly
Polite and pensive, William Blacker seems the last person you would imagine to leave a comfortable life in England and go on a whim to live for eight years in a remote Transylvanian village. But that’s exactly what he did. Now dividing his time between England, Italy and
Our events listing keeps you up-to-date on the latest and greatest in culture, music and other English-friendly entertainment. This is a selection of the best of them. SURREAL/The Dalí Universe February 1-May 25, Palazzo Medici, via Camillo Cavour 3, Florence More than
Although there are many who dream of dropping everything and living through their art, few actually take the plunge. Dejan Bogdanovic, however, is the embodiment of that Florentine dream. Arriving in Florence from the former Yugoslavia on a SACI scholarship more than 20 years ago, he still hasn't left
Our events listing keeps you up-to-date on the latest and greatest in culture, music and other English-friendly entertainment. This is a selection of the best of them. MEDICI/Alchemy and the Arts Until February 3 Uffizi Gallery, piazzale degli Uffizi 6, Florence The discovery of
When it comes to knowledge of the English language, Nicholas Brownlees is an expert, not only because it's his mother tongue, but also because he has taught English in Florence for 38 years. Starting his career as a teacher at the British Institute, Brownlees is now associate professor at
Tall, slim, always elegantly dressed, gifted with both grace and a teasing sense of humour, Nancy Mitford was, and still is, one of the most intriguing authors of the twentieth century. The first of seven children of David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale, and his wife Sydney, Nancy Mitford was
There is a thin red line that links a dark and minimal style code with the best Tuscan craftsmanship tradition. It is the Original Total Look of Erïk Bjerkesjö, a talented Swedish designer and this year's winner of the 2012 Who is On Next? Pitti Uomo
Kamin Mohammadi's family was forced to flee their home country of Iran during the 1979 revolution, when she was just nine years old. Now living between London and Tuscany, she has recently published her first book, The Cypress Tree, a ‘love letter to Iran' that brings to life
Like many expatriates, Bruce Edelstein came to study in Florence and stayed for love. But his is a personal and professional success story worth telling for the number of people he inspires, first in his role as a professor at New York University's (NYU) Villa La Pietra, and second,
It is probably fair to say that majority of expats come to live in Italy for work or romantic reasons. Robert Nordvall is quite a different case. Nordvall, known locally as Bob, was born in the Chicago area. The family of his mother, Carmella Craglione, was originally from Luccare, now
Think of fashion in the 1960s, and you are probably picturing Susan Nevelson's work. She pioneered the flower-power prints of the decade, working for her friend and designer Ken Scott. Her prints have been worn by celebrities like Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot. Aged 87, she
Think of the movie stereotype of the Protestant minister. Now picture Alison Walker, who is 36, female, married, drives a camper van and, yes, is a Methodist minister. Walker moved to Florence almost three years ago, speaking no Italian. But that had to quickly change. As pastor of the
Sometimes you meet someone whose vitality and dedication to a cause is so far beyond the norm that you are left speechless. Daniela Murphy Corella has such a ‘wow-factor.' Brilliant, energetic and eloquent, she is the kind of person who can make change happen. And change is what
Jeff Scurran is new in town and is here on a mission. As the new coach of Guelfi Firenze, Florence's American football team (www.guelfifirenze.it), he has travelled across the Atlantic from Tucson, Arizona, to get the team ready for the start of an exciting new season. The
Tomas Simcha Jelinek has many stories to tell. He has been living in Tuscany for the past 30 years, both in Florence and in the Chianti hamlet of Lamole, and he is currently the manager of Ruth's kosher and vegetarian restaurant (www.kosheruth.com), next to Florence's Synagogue
Elia Nichols grew up wanting to be an actress and one day live in Florence. And this is precisely what she set out to do. Today, after five years of living in the city, this very determined young woman is not only an accomplished actress, but she also created an
Alessandro Soltrani smiles a lot, and he has a lot to smile about as the owner of one of the most popular bars in Florence, Enoteca Sant'Ambrogio Caffè, situated in the Santa Croce district. Born and raised in Iran, he first came to Italy as a student back
We all know the fairytale scenario of a young female foreigner being swept off her feet by a romantic Italian and moving to Florence to live happily ever after. After all, it's not easy for an Italian man to start a new life away from Italy, and it's
Petra Casini had always dreamed of making her own path in life, one that would not involve her family business of stone cutting. She spent her entire life surrounded by stones: she was born and raised in Idar-Oberstein, the capital of Germany's gemstone industry, and comes from a
Rieko Hayashi had always dreamed of living abroad, which is why she studied English and European culture at university. While most of her classmates traveled the world before starting their careers, Rieko went straight to work. During her vacations, she traveled to more than 20 countries, and was eventually inspired
Daniel Graves had the makings of an artist since the age of three, when he began drawing. But it wasn't until he was 15 and saw Rembrandt's self-portrait at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, that he decided to become a realist painter. He was
Mother Mary Taylor had always been attracted to religious life, but didn’t make the decision to become a nun until she came to Florence. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Mary ...
