My cell phone rang at 6:27 am last Thursday. It was AP Television Rome’s Senior Producer Maria Grazia Murru. “Can you be on a train for Florence in half an hour. It leaves at 7:05. The prosecutor in the Ashley Olsen murder case is giving a press conference at 10am.” I had been following this …
Last week I had the rare opportunity to dedicate myself for two days to a feature story in Florence, the restoration of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s North Doors on the Florence baptistery and the making of a replica. After becoming discouraged about the current situation in Rome (see last post “Ravishing, Rotten Rome”) it was refreshing to …
“Cinquecento, Cinquecento”, Tom Hanks says quickly and I start giggling. “I just like the sound of that,” he adds, “Salone del Cinquecento, that sounds so much better than the Hall of 500.” I am standing in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence interviewing Tom Hanks about his work on the film “Inferno” and he’s given my …
Dear Blog Readers– Yesterday I was in Florence listening to detailed discussions of blood stains, a bra clasp and sperm spots during the opening hearing in the re-trial of the Meredith Kercher Murder. By now, anyone interested in the news has already gotten it, so I will give you just a bit of behind-the-scenes atmosphere. …
Dear Blog Readers — Today my post is dedicated to a review of a book written by a new friend of mine, Lynn Rodolico, followed by a chat with the author. Lynn Rodolico’s “Small Change” is a tender and eloquent story of a Swedish-American couple who adopt twin babies found in a dumpster. The book tackles …