Italy In General - Issue 5 - Dec. 2020

ITALY 

DEC. 2020 • ISSUE. 5 

I N G E N E R A L 

UNCOVERING 

THE UNUSUAL

LETTER TO THE EDITOR 

Dear Editor, 

As an Expat that has lived in Rome for about 3 years, I’ve really enjoyed reading the past four issues of Italy in 

General. A friend of me gave me the first issue of the magazine, and I was immediately hooked! The past issue 

really did help take my mind off of life in the quarantine, and truly was a ray of hope during some of the darker 

days of the lock-down. Your publication has inspired me to go out and explore Rome (and beyond) more than I 

have in the past years, so a BIG thank you to he creative team that searches out the best features of Italy to help 

us readers explore more. 

Now that we are starting to see a little hope of life returning to “normal,” I was wondering if there were some 

“unusual” things in Italy to start discovering once we get back to our previous routines. I’m sure that this year 

has been equally challenging for all of you, but I trust that you will once again deliver some great features that we 

absolutely must go out and experience. 

Hoping you’re staying safe through all of this. 

Kind regards, 

Mike 

Dear Mike, 

We have worked long and hard in-spite of these historic times to create a magazine that shows the unusualness 

of Italy despite the unusual barriers this semester has presented us with. We suffered the wrath of wearing 

itchy masks to class, working with intermittent internet connections, and a cramped academic schedule. 

However, as unusual as this semester has been, we’ve worked very hard to represent the grit of the FDM 105 

class of Fall 2020. 

That grit is represented by every click of the mouse, font on the page, and color of the border with the hopes 

that said grit will be represented within the pages of this new issue. We searched high and low to uncover the 

best and most unusual things that Italy has to offer. I hope you have a big appetite, as we’ve served up 2 great 

sections of unusual food to try here in Italy. Your sense of adventure will be entertained by the travel options 

that we’ve covered, and you’ll also be happy to discover some unusual sports, art, and wellness tips. I hope 

that this issue holds your head high towards the future where all of the unusual things can be explored and 

enjoyed in the purest form. 

Stay unusual, 

Finn Perlestein 

Editor 

2 | Italy in General Issue 5 - December 2020 | 3

WHAT’S ON THE MENU THIS ISSUE 

UNUSUALLY WELL 

8 

UNUSUAL FOOD - PT1 

12 

UNUSUAL WORDS 

17 

THINGS NOT TO DO 

22 

UNUSUAL GEMS IN ROME 

28 

UNUSUAL FASHION 

33 

AUR PHOTOGRAPHY 

40 

UNUSUAL FOOD - PT2 

42 

UNUSUAL TRAVEL 

47 

UNUSUAL ITALIAN SPORTS 

53 

UNUSUAL ART 

58 

UNUSUAL LIVING SPACES 

62 

UNUSUAL ART 

67 

Photo by: Prof. Brian Koperski 


MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM 

DANIELA 

ARIDA 

KLARKE 

ARMSTRONG 

CHIARA 

De MATTIA 

KIRSTEN 

GALBRAITH 

ADAIR 

HOLTON 

ETHAN 

KNOWLES 

JASON 

MATTIA 

VICTORIA 

McATEER 

FINN 

PERELSTEIN 

ALESSANDRO 

RONGONI 

KAITLYN 

TARLTON 

ANGELICA 

ZAWADZKI 


Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun (1889) 

Vincent Van Gogh 


SOFT HANDS 

& HEALTHY 

NAILS 


UNUSUAL ITALIAN 

FOODS YOU SHOULD 

-ked with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and occasionally parsley. 

Coppa di testa can be traced back to the early 19th century 

in the North-central regions of Emilia Romagna, 

Abruzzo, Umbria, Marche, and Tuscany. You can eat 

this delectable food sliced or diced, and it may be found 

in appetizers in these regions. 

PAJATA 

3 

KNOW ABOUT 

Written by: Kaitlyn Tarlton 

Italy has constantly been rated as the best cuisine in the world by many people across the globe. Everyone 

in the world recognizes Italy for the creation of mouth-watering pasta dishes and infamous pizza as we 

know it today. However, there is much more to Italian food than meets the eye. A great way to understand 

the Italian food scene is to eat what the locals eat. While many Italians indulge in Carbonara and Prosciutto, 

they also enjoy uncommon dishes that also have humble beginnings. In Italy, nothing gets wasted, and 

every part of animals and vegetables are used to create dishes packed with flavor that we know and love today. If 

you are an adventurous eater, these foods are made for you. From usual cheeses to unusual cuts of meat, Italian 

cuisine has an endless number of dishes you never thought about tasting. Here are just some of the Italian foods 

you should know about, and possibly try out. 

CASU MARZU 

Casu Marzu is a cheese, with a special surprise 

inside, that originates from Sardinia and is considered a 

delicacy on the island. It is crafted by infusing the sheep 

milk cheese with insect larvae, which is why the EU 

considers this cheese illegal. The larvae eat and digest 

the cheese making it creamy inside. When it comes 

time for humans to consume casu marzu, the larvae 

stay in the cheese and are eaten with it while they remain 

alive. Despite casu marzu being outlawed, Sardinian 

people still eat and produce this cheese. Cazu 

marzu is only produced in the spring and summer, and 

the price ranges from 20 euro per kilo to 100 euro per 

kilo. If you are interested in trying this cheese, travel to 

the beautiful island of Sardinia to have a taste because 

this cheese can be found nowhere else in the world. 

Coppa di Testa. Photo by: Lorenzo Vinci Magazine 

2 

1 

Casu Marzu. Photo by: Shardan via Wikimedia Comms 

COPPA DI 

TESTA 

Coppa di Testa is a cooked sausagemade from 

the remaining parts of the pig that are not commonly 

used. Pork is often used to prepare cuts such as ham, 

pancetta, and salami, but the leftover head, rinds, and 

tongue is used to make this food. These parts are coo- 

Pajata. Photo by: 

Il Club di Ricette 

Pajata is a classic Roman 

dish that many locals love to 

eat. If you love Italian food, 

you need to try this dish because 

it encompasses everything 

about Roman cuisine. 

Pajata is the intestines of 

veal and is commonly served 

as a pasta sauce with rigatoni 

noodles. The dish is rich in 

flavor and creamy because 

the milk that was previously 

consumed by the cow remain 

inside of the intestines 

when harvested. As the veal 

cooks, the milk transforms 

to a ricotta like texture. 

This dish was previously 

banned by the EU in the 

early 2010s due to the mad 

cow’s disease, but made a strong comeback in 2015. Today, you can find this dish in many trattorias 

and osterias around Rome. The best places to look are in the popular neighborhoods of 

Testaccio, Trastevere, and Garbatella. 

CERVELLI 

FRITTI 

Cervelli Fritii translates to fried 

brains in English. Don’t let the name scare 

you off yet. Cervelli fritti is prepared with 

the brains of young calves, lambs, or veal. 

They are coated in eggs and flour and fried 

to golden perfection. The texture is similar to 

cheese because it is creamy in the center. This dish 

is commonly found in the Tuscany and Lazio regions. 

Many osterias and trattorias serve this dish as an appetizer and 

are waiting for you to try. Drizzle a squeeze of lemon juice on top for an extra 

kick. 

Go to Ristorante da Nazzareno to try this dish. They serve this dish 

along with a side of fried artichokes. Many locals rave about this resturant for 

this dish and the excellent service. 

Cervelli Fritti. 

Photo by: Plutonia 

Publications 


5 

Door mouse. Photo by: Katie Berry 

STUFFED 

DOORMICE 

Although you may find this dish 

strange at first, stuffed dormice have very 

humble beginnings. Stuffed Mice is a 

dish unique to the southern region of 

Calabria and now considered a delicacy 

due to its ancient origins. Stuffed mice 

have been around since Julias Caesar was in 

charge of the Roman Empire. Traditionally, 

the mouse is stuffed with ground meat such as 

rabbit, pork, or beef, along with onions, various 

herbs, nuts, and spices. If you are looking to taste 

this dish, travel to Calabria because this dish is not 

common in the other regions of Italy. 

6 

TRIPPA ALLA ROMANA 

Trippa alla Romana is a dish that was by the 

poor in Rome hundreds of years ago and is still a beloved 

dish consumed today. Trippe alla Romana is 

made with tripe. One of the four stomachs of a 

cow. Many cultures make tripe, but Italy does 

it better (like most food). It is braised with 

white wine, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and 

salty pecorino romano. To be traditional, 

consume this dish on a Saturday for “Sabato 

Trippa.” You may find this dish in the 

fanciest to the most family style restaurants 

all around Rome. 

Some resturants that serve this dish 

around Rome include Piatto Romano, Agustarello 

a Testaccio, and Flavio al Velavevodetto. 

This restaurants are located in the Trastevere/Testaccio 

area are are highly credited for 

this dish. 

Tripe. Photo by: Guy Docetoni 

Trippa alla 

Romana. Photo 

by: Sabrina Tocchio 

LAMPREDOTTO 

7 

8 

Lampredotto is a Florentine sandwich 

made with more tripe! However, lampredotto is 

prepared by using the last stomach of the cow. It is 

a common food to find in the beautiful streets of 

Florence. The stomach is slow cooked in broth and 

herbs, then served inside of a large bread roll. Most 

of the time, it will also be served with a spicy green 

sauce. 

Lampredotto. Photo by: Antonino Crescenti 

Coda alla Vaccinara. Photo by: Toni Brancatisano 

CODA ALLA 

VACCINARA 

While many Romans love to eat Coda alla Vaccinara, 

many people from different countries may consider 

this dish unusual. Coda alla Vaccinara is more well 

known as Oxtail Stew in English. This dish is quintessential 

Roman cuisine and was at one point consumed 

so much that citizens in Rome were called ‘mangiacode’ 

(tail eaters). The oxtails are prepared with a hefty 

amount of celery, and other vegetables, herbs, and wine. 

You may stumble across this dish in most trattorias in 

Testaccio and Trastevere. 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Italy’s no. 1 Pasta 

WHO KNEW 

A BOWL 

OF PASTA 

COULD 

GIVE YOU 

BUTTERFLIES 


UNUSUAL WORDS 

FOR 

UNUSUAL MEANINGS 

Chiara De Mattia 

You probably never heard this sentence: “Senti st’olive a Se”, “so 

bone, so greche”. Whether you have heard strange sentences in Italian 

or not, many of them have different meanings than their litteral 

ones. In the next pages, I am going to explain some unusual words 

I have heard all my life, and if you stay in Italy for a while, you will 

probably hear them too. Some funny, some not, these words are also 

the basics of some Italian dialects. Did you know that Italy has over 

thirty different dialects? Old people from the south would most likely 

not understand a word of an old man from the far north. This article 

will take you through a quick journey and give you a taste of what 

it means to be a true Italian. In other words, non capirci un tubo! 


6 UNUSUAL COMMON SAYINGS 

Stare con le mani in mano 

The literal translation is: “to be with 

your hands in your hands” 

The English equivalent is: “to sit on 

your hands”. 

This saying is used when someone 

doesn’t do anything when he is supposed 

to, and also when has poor manners 

when invited to a dinner or party 

and doesn’t bring anything as a little 

gift. 

4 UNSUSUAL WORDS OF ITALIAN DIALECTS 

Belin 

Filler used by the Genoese in many 

situations, in general it means “penis” 

but can be used in many contexts 

in both negative and positive 

ways. 

For example, if something unexpected 

happens you say “belin what 

happened?” 

Daje 

From the deepest sounds of Rome, 

“daje” is a normal exclamation 

word, that usually means “ok”, 

“yes”, “sounds good”. Its meaning 

is similar to “figa”, but is stronger 

and more passionate. For example, 

when they ask you “ do you want a 

supplì? You answer “daje”. 

Figa 

Typical Milanese filler used to make 

appreciation. In general, it means 

“beautiful” or “fantastic”. 

For example, if you are invited to a 

party and they ask “are you coming 

to the party?” You answer “Figa if I 

come!” 

Jamme Jà 

“Jamm’ Jà” literally translated, as 

we all know, means “let’s move on”, 

“hurry up”, “let’s hurry up”. 

For example, if someone says “let’s 

go get some pizza” You answer 

“Jamme Jà!” 

Non ci piove 

The literal translation is: “it doesn’t rain 

on it”. 

The English equivalent is: “no doubts 

about it” 

You can use this expression when you 

are extremely confident about what you 

are saying and you have no doubts about 

that. Also, it can be a way to cut short a 

conversation when you don’t think it is 

useful to take it further: your conclusion 

is the only one that makes sense! 

Acqua in bocca! 

The literal translation is: “water in your 

mouth”. 

The English equivalent is: “Keep it for 

yourself !” 

This expression is used when you tell a 

secret to someone. For instance, if you 

tell a gossip like “she kissed him” to 

your friend then you say “acqua in bocca!” 

Avere un diavolo per 

capello 

The literal translation is: “to have a demon 

for each hair” 

The English equivalent is: “to be as 

mad as hell“. 

Imagine someone furious with as many 

demons as his hair sitting on his shoulder: 

well, now you can understand how 

effective this idiom is! 


Chiodo scaccia chiodo 

The literal translation is: “chiodo” 

means “nail” and “scacciare” means 

“to drive away”. 

The English equivalent is: “a nail drives 

another nail away”. 

It refers to the fact that one thing replaces 

another. In English we would use 

“a problem drives another one away”, 

however in the original version the idiom 

does not refer only to problems but 

to things in general. 

Non avere peli sulla lingua 

The literal translation is: “not to have 

hairs on your tongue”. 

The English equivalent is: “not to mince 

one’s words” 

This means to be straightforward and get 

to the point. It is often said when someone 

is trying to get their point across but 

are being very careful about what to say 

because they do not want to cause any 

offense. You would then tell this person 

not to mince their words, or now you can 

say “non avere peli sulla lingua!” 


Things Not to Do In 

Italy 

Written by Daniela Arida 

When one thinks of Italy, they will mostly imagine the famous sites and other stereotypes of Italy and Italians 

but what they are less likely to know are the things to avoid doing in Italy and its probably things you do not 

expect. So here is some advice for you to know before your trip to our Fabulous Italy. 

Concerning Food and eating : Food is a very sacred thing for Italians and as we all know Italy produces some 

of the best cuisine in the world therefore they are easily offended if you do something that they do not approve 

of. Here are some don’ts 

4. 

Do not expect a big breakfast, Italian’s only 

have a Cornetto or if you are up north a Brioche. That 

is all they eat for breakfast with either their cappuccino 

or espresso 

5. 

Coffee is sacred and for Italians an important 

part of the daily routine. Never order a cappuccino 

after midday and if you order your usual latte you 

will probably be disappointed to be given a glass of 

milk. 

1. 

Do not cut your pasta. If you order a plate of spaghetti, do not use your knife, just twirl it 

around your fork and eat it, if you struggle with that, just use the spoon to help keep the spaghetti on 

the fork. 

2. 

Do not put Parmesan cheese on seafood. A lot of people put cheese on all their pastas 

and come to Italy thinking that Italians put Parmesan cheese on all pasta dishes, they don’t. 

3. 

Pineapple on pizza is a NOOO! You might find it in some tourist restaurants, but 

for Italians no way, fruit does not go on pizza. Neither does Ketchup ! Pizza has its own 

tomato sauce. 

6. 

Pizza also has its own 

guidelines. Italians will never eat 

an individual round pizza for 

lunch, preferring instead to grab 

a pizza taglio to either eat at the bar or take home. 

7. 

Eating on the go. 

You’ll rarely see image-conscious 

Italians eating snacks 

while walking. Taking the 

time to sit down and eat or 

drink “properly” is of huge 

importance. Florentines have an intense dislike of 

seeing tourists eat slices of pizza as they walk and 

think people should sit and give food the attention it 

deserves. In Florence, snacking on certain historical 

streets is actually banned and you can find yourself 

with a €500 fine. Likewise a takeout coffee (heaven 

forbid) is frowned upon and worse brewing your 

own coffee in the streets with a camping stove… 

Two backpackers were fined €900 recently in Venice 

for brewing a morning coffee at the foot of the 

Rialto bridge. 


General Do Nots and Precautions : 

1. 

Do not expect things to go according 

to schedule. Italians have a hard time keeping 

to schedules. If you have a bus schedule and wait 

for the bus at the appointed time, don’t expect it to 

come on time, it will rarely happen, especially in 

Rome, they are the worst. Another thing is Italians 

love to take their time, so don’t expect your tight 

scheduled plan to work as anything can happen. 

3. 

Steal sand. Sardinia has cracked down on “sand 

theft” in an effort to protect its fragile environment. It 

might have never crossed your mind, but there are people 

who take sand home from beaches as souvenirs (which 

could seem normal) while plenty of us accidentally take 

it home on our clothes or beach towels. Anyone found 

smuggling sand in their suitcases can now be fined up to 

€3,000. There was one couple who tried to take a whopping 

40kg of sand home with them now face jail time. 

5. 

Flip-Flop Protocol and Swimwear. For Italians 

flip-flops are worn to go to the beach or around 

the house. Not however to go hiking ! Local authorities 

in the popular seaside destination of Cinque Terre have 

begged visitors to stop wearing flip-flops on its hiking 

trails and are tired of the 118 being called to rescue 

stranded tourists, authorities are now handing out fines 

ranging from €50 to €2,500 to anyone caught endangering 

themselves with a poor choice of footwear. Wear a 

swimsuit, yes but at the beach ! Italians are very conscious 

about what they wear out and usually dress to impress. 

Regular complaints about visitors in major cities 

dressing as if they’re at the beach has brought in some 

new rules, Venice and Rome has completely banned 

swimwear and sunbathing in the center and walking 

around shirtless (or topless) 

will get you into trouble as well. 

6. 

Day-tripping, without paying, is now 

against the law. Be careful if you come to Venice 

on a day trip: Anyone who visits 

the city must pay a daily tax of $10 

or risk penalties up to €450 ($502). 

2. 

Do not rely only on using credit cards. In most 

parts of the world now people are able to use credits 

cards to pay even the slightest amounts. In some places 

such as cafes or ice cream parlors you can only use 

your credit cards if the bill is a minimum of 5 euros. 

4. 

Swim in a canal. You might have thought 

that it would be a lifetime experience to swim in the canals 

of Venice. Several people have found themselves in 

trouble with police in the past few years after going for 

a swim in Venice’s canals on a hot summer’s day. Even 

dipping a toe or putting your feet in is banned, too. 

7. 

Sitting on the 

steps. Sitting on Rome’s famous 

Spanish Steps, or on 

the steps of the Tomb of 

the Unknown Soldier was, 

until very recently, a very typical thing to do on 

a summer evening in the city but a new law makes 

this a thing of the past. It’s now prohibited to sit 

on historic steps, which were built in the 1700s 

and recently restored at a cost of 1.5 million euros. 

8. 

Use a drinking fountain 

incorrectly. This one might 

come as a shocker. Rome has 

another type of fountain, those 

that spout fresh drinking water. But using them improperly, 

putting your mouth to the tap which is not 

how they do it, or even washing your feet in them can 

incur the wrath of locals and also land you with a fine. 


THE AMERICAN UNIVIERSITY OF ROME PRESENTS 

HE WOLF 

Wolfie’s Autobiography 

26 | Italy in General Issue 5 - December 2020 | 27 

Written by D. L Prinze

Unusual Gems in Rome 

Finn Perelstein 

Villa Pamphili 

Villa Pamphili, one of the most unknown and 

underrated gems of Rome. Although there is 

a Villa located in the center, when Italians say 

“Villa Pamphili” they think of a big park. One 

that hosts locals to their favorite recreational activities. 

People go to the park to run, walk, ride 

bikes, play sports, and any other activity that 

serves 1.8km 2 of space. Within the park touristic 

delacasies such as the Vivi Bistrot, a resutraunt 

in the middle of 

the park with a view of 

Villa Pamphilli’s swooping 

hills exist. However, 

more adventurous 

and unusal gems can be 

found. 

The Underwater Cave 

On the northern side of Belvedere lake, there 

is a stream that paralells a path which, takes 

you up to a fountain. Right before the fountain, 

there are stone stairs that lead down to 

a cave. When looking at the staircase it as if 

the stairs would lead underground, under the 

stream, and in fact that is exactly what they do. 

There is a cave like tunnel that traverses under 

the stream where the water from the stream 

flows directly above and flows down, looking 

like an underwater cave. 


Quartiere Coppedè 

Quartiere Coppede, although looks home 

to Dr. Suess, is a neighborhood filled with 

the top political minds of Rome from all 

over the world. The Architecture of the 

highlighted building in the neighborhood 

seems as though Gino Coppede’, the architect, 

was tripping on acid while drawing 

up the blue prints which gives the main 

building and the arch an almost fairytail 

look. One you would see in a Disney movie. 

However, most of the inspiration Coppede 

drew from came from nature which 

you can see in the designs in stone one almost 

every corner of the main buildings. 

All around the center building and fountain 

hosts embassies including the Canadian, 

Moroccan, New Zealand and many 

more embassies. 

The Aventine Key Hole 

Th e Aventine keyhole is one of the most unusual yet majestic, 

and ill be it, satisfying places in Rome. Aventine hill 

is one of the 7 hills that Rome was built on which gives 

whoever is look- 

ing through the keyhole 

a straight shot 

view of the Cupola of 

St. Peters. Al- 

though you cannot 

enter into the 

Villa del Priorato 

di Malta, the 

gate to the garden 

has a 

tiny hole which 

shows 

the epically 

framed, by 

the hedges in 

the fore- 

ground, Cupola 

in the 

background. 


UNUSUAL 

FASHION 

ITALY 

BY KIRSTEN GALBRAITH 


THE ONLY BOOK YOU 

WILL EVER NEED TO UN- 

DERSTAND THE WORLD OF 

FASHION! 

Writer and journalist Kirsten Galbraith decided to 

write and publish “Understanding Fashion” to open 

the eyes and minds of people who wish to know 

more about the world of fashion. The reader shall 

prepare to find not only the history and modern 

facts regarding fashion, but also interviews of international 

stylists who have decided to contribute their 

stories into the composition of this book. To name 

a few, Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce have 

gladly shared their story about how they entered the 

fashion world up to how and when they became so 

undeniably famous and inspirational. 

The book also contains different quotes from different 

fashion designers and/or managers of the 

companies, to best make believe that fashion truly 

does have a long history to be explained. The goal of 

this book is to not only inform whoever is interested 

into learning more about this complicated and luxury 

wrold, but also to tell stories which have not been 

told, or told correctly. The main aim of the insertion 

of interviews and quotes is to make sure everyone 

who decided to be involved in the book is able to let 

their true story out to be known by a vast public of 

hungry readers and fashion fans. 


UNUSUAL 

FaSHION IN ITALY 

Gucci is one of the worlds 

most successful luxury 

brands, but is also totally 

“bananas” 

Dolce & Gabbana: 

High Class Unusual Tailoring 

In the 2018 Fall season, the two designer stylists 

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have 

decied to move their own tailoring collection from 

the intimacy of the courtyard of their boutique 

in Corso Venezia to their main exposition area in 

Viale Piave. This collection shined of a thousand 

lights, for how full of gold, silver, zinc and other 

metallic materials. Elegant ceremony coats in 

tungsten jacquard color; smokings in rough cotton 

canvas in the color of alluminum; cachemire outfits 

in brunished nichel, and this only in the first ten 

outfits. A long show, rich in golden overcoats, frock 

coats with a cheetah metallic and brunished print 

or dust coats in a light sand color, golden as a liturgical 

parameter. Fashion brands have long known 

that haute couture and jewellery is complicated. 

But up until recently, modern luxury brands have 

not known how to diffuse the knowledge of fine 

craftsmanship and materials to the public. Today’s 

luxury consumer has a fresh take on modern taste 

levels, as the consumer still yearns for the knowledge 

and attributes with respect to the product. But it still 

takes a specialized craftsmanship like that of the Italian 

luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana to follow through 

flwlessly and unusually, for the most. This amazing 

and sometimes unusual luxury brand continues 

to surprise the public, opening up hearts and carrying 

them into a world where fashion is appreciated, 

loved and known to be unusual. People wordlwide 

are searching for knowledge when it comes to luxury 

items. The term “Haute couture” is French for “high 

sewing” or, more in general, “high fashion” custom 

fitted apparel made with exclusive and exquisite 

craftsmanship. The “unusualness” of most of the 

Dolce & Gabbana collections throughout the years 

are due to the stylist’s undeniable imagination and 

point of view in a world of high fashion, a job and a 

mind that not everyone is gifted to have. Their vision 

have always and continue to shock potential buyers 

globally, and they never fail to give us a “show”. 

Ever since Alessandro Michele became Gucci’s creative 

director in 2015, this luxury brand has become 

the hottest thing in fashion. Thanks to his intervention, 

the brand grew over 40% in 2016, overtaking 

other luxury brands such as Hermes. But how did he 

and Gucci follow this breathtaking performance on 

their first runway show of 2018? An the answer to 

this question is: by making their models walk on the 

runway “holding their own heads”. The collection 

included tweedy, embroidered and print-heavy nerd 

chic. Fun fact: the New York Yankees logo appeard 

on different pieces of the collection, because of the 

brand’s partnership with Dappen Dan. What Michele 

wanted to represent in this unusual catwalk isn’t as 

easy to interpret. As he seems to be a big fan of Reinassance 

art, these two-headed models probably were 

meant to be referred to depictions of Christian saints 

who were condemned to carry their own heads. Gucci 

quoted a line of Donna Haraway’s essay “Cyborg 

Manifesto”, on the “dualism and dichotomy of identidy”, 

suggesting the dual heads referred to the split 

in the self. Other than the models holding their own 

heads, this catwalk also represented other unusual accessories, 

such as a baby dragon, according to Gucci 

inspired by “the real story of an author who staged 

finding a baby dragon in his garage in Oxfordshire, 

England”. Another among these models, entered the 

catwalk with a third eye in the middle of her forehead, 

while different types of masks covered the faces 

of other models. As weird and unusual Gucci seems 

to be, this fashion show has been an undeniable hit. 

The brand is especially popular with with millennials, 

who seem to have walked down runways for the 

most part of their lives and are looking for brands 

with a unique point of view. And what can be more 

unique than the vision of Michele in his experience 

running Gucci? 


the zara 

fashion show 

Fashion Show 2017 campaign which reveals a colorful and unusual print rich collection ready for the 

coming season. Zara Woman 2017 collection features a top model cast such as Lea, Kiko Arai, Adut 

Akech, Vittoria Ceretti and Fran Summers. This lastest campaign celebrates fashion’s newfound sense 

of unusuality and diversity. 


PHOTOGRAPHY IN ROME: STUDIO & STILL LIFE 

FAFD 106 - SELECTED WORKS - FALL 

CHAPTERS by Mariam Almasri 

Exposure: 1/200 sec at f/5.6; ISO 100 

NEW YEARS by Nicole Bleichner 

Exposure: 1/250 sec at f/13; ISO 100 

TURN DAY INTO NIGHT by Meagan Gephart 


PORTRAIT OF NICOLE by Adriana Parrotta 


FEET UP by Camilla Romanelli 


TREASURE by Meagan Gephart 

Exposure: 1/50sec at f/5.6; ISO 400 

PORTRAIT OF ADRIANA by Lillian Pennypacker 


HUNGRY? by Lucio Bianchi 


SMOKE by Andrew Sagerson 


PUZZLED by Mariam Almasri 

Exposure: 1 sec at f/22; ISO 100 


Unusual Food 

by Klarke Armstrong 

5 Unusual American and Italian Dishes 

You May or May Not Want To Try When 

Bored. 

Rigatoni Con La Pajata 

A Traditional dish eaten in Rome, Italy. It is a made of 

calf intestant usually served in tomoto sauce. The special thing 

about this dish is that the calf is unwained from its mothers 

milk and although the intestines are cleaned, skinned and boiled 

the chyme from the baby cows last meal is left inside of the 

intestines. Although this dish is not very common anymore 

you can still find it in some traditional trattorias in Rome. 


Koolaid Pickles 

Koolaid Pickles(Also refered to as Koolickles) are 

Punctured whole pickles or sliced kosher or spicy 

pickles that sit in a secure jar for 4 days. They maintain 

a tangy koolaid taste while also being colorful and 

crunchy. These are often sold in Southern United States 

Deep Fried Butter 

Americans are known for 

frying everything so, when 

it came to butter I am sure 

it was a no brainer. This 

fatty treat is a hit in the 

South and can be found at any festival where they fry stuff(all of 

them). To make fried butter you would need to put a frozen block 

of butter on a stick and coat it in bater. Fry then drizzle some 

icing sugar, or sifted sugar over the delecay. If you happen to be at 

one of these festivals. make sure to try the fried, oreos, bacon, 

chocolate covered bacon, icecream, and twinkie and more. 

Pure Pig Fat- Lardo Di Colonnata 

If a melty lump of fried fat does not sound tasty. This is the dish for 

you. Lardo Di Colonnata is a slice of pork fat cured with spices. It 

is often served in the Tuscan town of Colonnata where it is a most 

prized dish. But, if you are on any diet other than Keto than watch 

out. This sesasoned lump of pig fat which looks and sounds like it 

has an amazong texture is a wopping 740 calories for just 4 slices. 

Maggot infested Cheese- Casu Marzu 

This delicacy was born and raised in Sardinia, Italy. This large 

Italian Island prepares this dish by cutting the rind off of a wheel 

of Pecorino and proceding to leave it outside for a couple of 

months. Once, flies are regularly laying eggs and hatching them 

then the cheese is ready. This dish is not for the people afraid of 

bugs. Once the dish is surved up on a plate with the larvas and 

flies. This is where the real fun begins. The larva and insects are 

known to jump up to 15cm. As you eat your Pane caraway and 

Casu Marzu. 


Unusual 

TRAVEL 

DESTINATIONS 

By Jason Mattia 

looking at the most unusual 

travel destinations 

in Italy! 


As crazy and wild as 2020 has been for 

us, it’s safe to say were all craving a trip 

in one way or another. To keep the unusual 

theme of 2020, this list is one that can 

hopefully bring us comfort now and add 

to our list of desirable destinations later. 

All of these places are super close to the 

typical Italian cities we all know yet offer 

a unique experience that differs from the 

typical tourists travel itinerary. 

Rocca Calascio, Abruzzo 

Get your hiking boots and head to Rocca 

Calascio, where the views are endless in 

the beautiful region of Abruzzo. initially 

built as a watchtower in the 10th century 

or earlier, the fortress developed in size 

and complexity over a period of time, and 

now is left in a ruined, yet beautiful state. 

Pentedattilo, Calabria 

Below Monte Calvario, this ancient, Greek 

built town takes an adventure to get there, 

without any real means of public transportation 

to get there. Now abandoned, 

taking strolls through the empty streets 

will put you in another world. The town 

got its name from original greco-calabro, 

or Greek-Calabrian dialect Pentedattilo: 

penta + daktylos = five fingers. 

Castle of Monguelfo, South Tyrol 

Nestled in the North, near the Austrian 

border, is a piece of history definitely 

worth seeing. This old castle dates back 

1126 AD, and today is open to public to 

roam around and take tours to learn of all 

the history it has to offer. 

Most Unusual Travel Destinations 

in Italy! 

abruzzo 

lake resia 

Arcomagno beach, San Nicola Arcella 

For what is a usually quiet place, this 

beach setting is perfect for hitting the 

coast in fashion. The rock formations leave 

a unique spot for photos or gazing, while 

the beach is a great place to layout, and 

in the world of covid, a cozy space quiet 

enough to social distance. 

Santuario di San Romedio, Trentino 

In the reigion of Trentino, this sanctuary 

dates back to the 11th century, and according 

to legend, Saint Romedio lived here 

with his bear. Here you will find Five little 

churches stacked on top of each other, 

all built on a rocky hillside, connected by 

a long staircase with 131 steps! Grab your 

walking shoes and explore! 

Capestrano, Abruzzo 

In the quiet countryside of Abruzzo lies 

Capestano, a small town with a lot of 

charm. Spend your day wandering the 

town, visiting different shops, and checking 

out the Abbey of St. Peter and Mediceo 

Castle. With less than 1000 people living 

in the town, you’ll have open opportunity 

to explore the hillsides hassle free! 

Lake Resia 

This one is truly something else! Located 

in the north near the Swiss border is lake 

resia, or Reschensee in Italian. Home to 

the filming location of Netflix’s spooky 

Italian series, Curon, the Lake itself is very 

unique. Rising from the middle of the lake 

is an old clock tower, the only visible remains 

of the town of Graun, that is underwater! 

Arcomagno arcomagno beach 


Pentedattilo 

santuario di san eomedio 

castle of monguelfo 

... 

50 | Italy in General 

italiair.it

UNUSUAL 

ITALIAN 

SPORTS 

By Alessandro Rongoni 

TAMBURELLO: 

The tambourine is a game created in Piedmont. This sport is the basis of the current tennis, you can find traces 

of this sport even in Roman times. The practice of this sport is therefore very ancient but even today you have 

days of it. As we said before, this sport has been used in tennis, but many still practice the tambourine. In fact, 

it was practiced a lot in Italy even until the 80’s. The name of this sport comes from the object with here you 

hit the ball, a small drum (tambourine). The rules are: The field of play is usually made of red clay, rectangular 

in shape, is 80 m long and 20 m wide, The field is bounded by white lines, and is divided by half by a line 

called cord, which divides the two halves of the field. At 40 m from this, in both directions, there is a bottom 

line. At 5 m from it, towards the center of the field is located the baseline. Normally the teams are composed 

of 5 players on the court at the same time and 4 on the bench for a total of 9 athletes available; the roles, from 

the most backward to the most advanced are: batter, thrower or shoulder, the score is counted as in tennis. 


SLITTINO : 

As a sport widely practiced in Italy we also 

have tobogganing. this sport is also an 

Olympic discipline that is practiced in the 

winter games. It consists in the fact that the 

competitor throws himself in a descent, of a 

traced route, to reach the finish line in the 

shortest possible time. This sport is very 

similar to bobsledding, which is always practiced 

as an Olympic discipline. Tobogganing 

is a very complicated sport, in fact you must 

have a perfect knowledge and discipline in 

the correct use of body weight to be able to 

have the greatest aerodynamics. This sport 

is very adrenaline, and also dangerous because 

you can reach speeds of 130 or 140 

km/h and therefore a fall would be fatal. 

This sport is practiced at very amateur 

levels, in fact it is enough to go to the 

mountains for the vacations and instead 

of renting skis you can rent a toboggan. 

IL LACROSSE: 

Lacrosse is a discipline that has taken shape in the last decade in Italy. This 

sport originates from North America, where it is practiced a lot. this sport is 

played with teams of 10 players who face each other (12 if the game is female), 

the goal is to put the ball, using a kind of triangular racket with canvas at the 

end, in the opponent’s goal, similar to ice hockey. The team that scores the most 

goals in the 80 minutes of regular play wins. The 80 minutes of play are divided 

into 4 quarters of 20 minutes each. This sport is played a lot in American colleges, 

but it has a minor success in Europe, but especially here in Italy because 

there is not a real professional championship only some associations practicing it 


CALCIO FIORENTINO : 

The calcio fiorentino is a sport practiced only in the Tuscan region. This sport is considered as the basis of 

soccer and rugby. It’s an event that takes place every year in June, this competition includes a challenge to the 

death between four teams: the blue, the green, the red and the white. The origins of this sport are Greek and 

then, the Romans took it back and modified it. This sport was practiced a lot by legionnaires for its violence 

and it helped to diffuse the sport in hole the empire, in fact there are trace of this sport even in France and 

England. But the greatest number of information regarding this sport we can find in the second half of the 

400’s, where boys from 18 to 45 years old, especially nobles faced each other for the most important squares 

of Tuscany. The rules are as follows: there are two teams of 27 players, the match is played on a sand court and 

lasts 50 minutes, the teams must be composed of 4 goalkeepers 3 triplets 5 half-backs and 15 forwards, the captains 

of the respective teams are behind the doors and together you have 7 referees in charge of controlling the 

players to calm the fights and separate people. Today a calf is symbolically paraded in the square together with 

the parade, and the only prize for the winners is a dinner (steak Florentine steak of course) made by this beef. 

ROMEOW 

EAT. DRINK. PET CATS. 


UNUSUAL ART AND 

ARTISTRY IN ITALY 

BY: VICTORIA MCATEER 

Famous for its undeniably rich history, 

Italy is both the birthplace and the 

current home for many of the worlds 

most iconic pieces of art, architecture, 

and artifacts. But what about the lesser 

known treasures scattered throughout 

this country? These hidden gems of the 

art world go unknown to many of Italy’s 

inhabitants, as well as the millions 

of tourists that visit each year. 

For those looking to experience these 

unique art exhibitions, here is a comprehensive 

list of the top ten most untraditional 

and unusual artistic attractions, 

located all around the country of 

Italy! 

10. 

The Wall of Celebrity Signatures 

Alassio, Italy 

To start off this list, we must travel to Alassio, 

Italy, where we find a wall covered in 

the signatures of the world’s most wellknown 

and adored celebrities. The Wall of 

Celebrity Signatures runs parallel to Corso 

Dante Alighieri, and it got its first signature 

from Earnest Hemmingway, famous author 

and poet. The signatures are each on individual 

ceramic tiles, providing a colorful 

view for passerbyers. 

Museo Omero (Tactile Museum) 

Ancona, Italy 

9. 

Home to various copies and casts of real 

archaeological finds, the Museo Omero hosts 

iconic pieces such as the Venus de Milo, the 

Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Michelangelo’s 

Pieta. Sounds normal, right? Not 

quite. In this one-of-a-kind museum, visitors 

are encouraged to touch any of the art present. 

The aim is to provide a multi-sensory experience 

and aid the visually impared by creating 

an exhibit centered around touch, not sight. 

8. 

Arte Sella 

Borgo Valsugana, Italy 

Located in the Valsugana region of Trentino, 

this open-air museum is one of the must 

unique and intriguing art “gardens” in Italy. 

This project began in 1986 by local artists who 

aimed to display their artwook in Val Sella’s 

woods, then it evolved into a biannual event, 

and it has since become a permanent display. 

There are approximately thirty installations 

along the trail, all created with the purpose of 

blending in. 

7. 

“Selva Elettrica” (“Electric Jungle”) 

Milan, Italy 

While you might know Milan for housing 

Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece 

“The Last Supper”, it is also the home of 

many more unexpected masterpieces, 

such as the Electric Jungle in the Milan 

Metro station. Located above a busy 

escalator, this collection of cables and 

pipes is often overlooked. Underneath 

the piece is a commonly missed nameplate, 

calling it the “Selva Elettrica”. It 

was installed in April of 2013 by artist 

Alessia di Nunzio, and it is one of the few 

examples of artistry in the Milan Metro. 

Meant to reveal the inner workings and 

“guts” of the station, this piece can only 

be seen when ascending the escalator. 

Have you ever heard of an abandoned salami 

factory being repurposed into a collective 

art gallery and shelter for refugees? 

Well, look no further than Italy’s capital city 

of Rome. In the outskirts of the city is the 

Metropoliz Museum of the Other and the 

Elsewhere, a truly unique space. This specific 

project started in 2009, when migrant 

families breathed new life into the abandoned 

slaughterhouse and began using the 

space as a home. They had already begun 

covering the walls in murals when Giorgio 

de Finis, the curator, found the museum in 

2011 and began organizing events. Between 

de Finis and the approximate 200 migrant 

refugees, the museum is now filled with 

murals, paintings, and installations by over 

300 artists from around the globe. 

Metropoliz Museum of the 

Other and the Elsewhere 

6. 


5. 

Museum of Plaster Figurines 

and Emigration 

Coreglia Antelminelli, Italy 

While not many people would immediately see 

the link between plaster figurines and emigration, 

the inhabitants of the Tuscan hill town of Coreglia 

know and appreciate it. Famous for figurines 

made of gesso (plaster), the profession of figurine 

salesmen grew in popularity and required a large 

amount of travel, and would become nomadic 

craftsmen. When they would return to Coreglia, 

they would tell tales of a better life both in Tuscany 

and other regions. Thus, the craft of figurine-making 

celebrates both beautiful artistry, and the positive 

outcomes of their emigration experiences. 

Statue of Freak Antoni 

Bologna, Italy 

4. 

Breaking the tradition of honoring memorable 

individuals by idealizing them in art, the city 

of Bologna chose to express its love for actor 

Roberto “Freak” Antoni by immortilizing him 

as emerging from a toilet. Sculpted in Carrara 

marble, Antoni is emerging from said toilet in a 

wrinkled suit, with a rocket jetpack strapped to 

his back. 

2. 

“Baci 

Rubati” (“Stolen Kisses”), 

Turin, Italy 

Famous for its unique architecture dating 

from the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and 

Neo-Classical eras, tourists are often overwhelmed 

by the beauty surrounding them in 

the city of Turin. However, amongst the traditional 

patterns, there are some untraditional 

additions to the buildings in Turin’s cityskape. 

One of these truly unexplainable additions is the 

pierced building of Turin. In one of the corners 

of an otherwise normal and ordinary building 

is a large ring-and-ball piercing, bleeding from 

the sides (one side in red, the other side in blue). 

The architect of this building, Corrado Levi, 

worked in collaboration with Cliostraat, a group 

of experimental artists, and together they named 

this piece “Baci Rubati”, meaning “Stolen Kisses”. 

3. 

Il Giardino dei Tarocchi 

Capalbio, Italy 

Started in 1978 by French sculptor and filmmaker 

Niki de Saint Phalle, this Tuscan hill is one of 

the most unique open-air exhibits in Italy. After 

twenty years of work, this garden filled with 

massive mosaic sculptures was oepened to the 

public in May of 1998, and has since captivated 

all viewers. This series of 22 sculptures is meant 

to represent each of the main figures depicted on 

Tarot cards, and it was built upon Etruscan ruins. 

Some of these statues are so large -- such as 

the Empress (card III) -- that the artist was able 

to live inside the sculpture for several months. A 

few examples of the cards depicted in this garden 

are: the Magician, the High Priestess, the Empress, 

the Emperor, the Hierophant, the Choice, 

the Chariot, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, 

etc. 

To conclude this list of unusual yet breathtaking 

artistry in Italy, we travel to San Biagio 

Platani. It is no secret that Italians love their 

bread, but each Easter, this Sicilian town takes 

it to the next level by building cathedrals, 

arches, and other architectural structures out of 

bread, hers, and beans. These nearly life-sized 

creations are viewed as a competition for the 

town’s inhabitants, each person trying to recreate 

the interor of San Biagio’s iconic church 

to the best of their ability. They work for weeks 

leading up to Easter, and on Easter Sunday, the 

project is unveiled, revealing their hardwork 

and carefully crafted, mosaics, chandeliers, 

arches, and altars. 

1. 

Arches of Bread Festival, 

San Biagio Platani, Italy 


UNUSUAL LIVING FEATURES of ROME 

This article takes a moment in time 

to recognize the by-product of 

living in the visually rich city that is 

Rome, as a young 

creative. 

One rainy afternoon 

I tagged alongside 

my friend Alessandro, 

also known as RBSN, 

to document the process 

of creating a visual 

project in an a 

particularily unusual 

feature here in Rome.. 

occupied spaces. 

empty spaces hidden in the 

eternal city, occupied by a 

young group of creatives 

INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST 

I ventured to the outskirts of the eternal city up to north side of Rome in a neighborhood on 

the precipice of exiting Rome, Salaria. I joined my friend and up and coming musical artist, 

Alessandro Rebesani to document his visualization of a creative project aimed for promoting 

his new album realase in 2021. Despite the quarantine measure taken in Rome young creatives 

are still managing to make use of their surrounding’s and actualize their expiremental journies. 

How did you find this place? 

RBSN: Rome’s underground scene is well 

spread throughout the whole, therefor you 

have many venues, this one happens to be 

very big. It’s the perfect space to create a 

whole vision, it’s a good space to use. It’s 

known among musiscians and those among 

the music sector as well, or just those who 

work in visual arts like Motore Fisico (Motore 

Fisico is an artist duo that works globally 

based here in Rome, who have recently 

been diving deeper into their visual art). 

(continued). 

.. .It used to be a paper factory, Ex Cartiera, 

now it’s called Citylab 971. It’s a creative hub 

for many artists here in Rome. 

How did you fit this space into your original, 

what came first? 

We needed a studio but then we figured we 

wanted to do things you cannot do in a studio, 

it involved 800 kilos of sand, and a larger 

space is needed. It is one thing to portray 

something like the beach or the desert, the 

sea, going to a location is already it. There 

is something about creating an environment 

from the ground up. 

Interview/Design/Spread: Angelica Zawadzki 


Anita (chief scenographer) 

says people are not able to 

use their hands anymore(regarding 

the COVID-19 lockdown 

measures taken in Italy), 

In a closed space you can 

control what you create, paint 

with lights, and put the space 

to work. 

The outcome comes from live 

music to visual and performative 

arts. The crew worked 

with different concepts, supports, 

and materials technically 

speaking. We shot video 

digitally and on film, the same 

goes for photography. For the 

scenography, we used recycled 

material, poor materials. Like 

the arte povera wave here in 

the ’60s (Schifano, icaro, or 

Carla Accardi). 

How would you describe your collective? 

In the collective, many people are Italian but have lived abroad or are mixed, 

or don’t even really speak Italian, but there is a sense of community that is not 

really about where you are from but where you are going. 

The Collective: 

The unusual thing about the whole experience is the gathering of people all working 

on the same very creation on the same frequency, with the same vision. Each one of 

the roles being played really understands eachother, everything that has been said is 

understood within the same intensity, there are no problems only solutions. 


the CATACOMBS of 

Interesting People 

SAN CALLIXTUS! 

create your 

own adventure 

mysteryrometours.eu 

Adair Holton 


The Cat Man 

There is undoubtedly no shortage 

of cats in Rome, there are 

even ruins that are known for 

their abundance of strays. However, 

the cats that run wild in the 

city are not restricted to these 

sites, rather, they can be found 

nearly everywhere. One neighborhood 

in which stray cats 

seem to run amuck is Trastevere, 

though they don’t seem to 

be inclined to venture too far 

from home. This may be due to 

a sense of safety and stability 

that can for the most part be attributed 

to the presence of some 

unlikely allies: people. One of 

these such people can be found 

lingering by the steps across 

from the tram stop near Via 

Francesco Benaglia. This man, 

who has requested to be referred 

to by the alias Giacomo 

for privacy, has made it a habit 

to climb the multitudes of steps 

leading to the relatively secluded 

spot where the cats gather 

every day to feed them, as early 

as eight in the morning. Just a 

stone’s throw away from the 

American University of Rome, 

it is common for students living 

in the nearby apartments to 

encounter Giacomo on their 

morning walk to campus. However, 

Giacomo does more than 

just feed the cats- many students 

report seeing him sweeping the 

stairs each morning as well, ringing 

in each new day in a serene 

sort of silence aside from the 

occasional “buongiorno” exchanged 

with passerby, whose 

expressions of gratitude, he 

states, are one of the highlights 

of his day. However, Giacomo 

is not only around in the morning- 

he also comes around regularly 

to feed the cats at night too, 

and sometimes he can be found 

sitting with the strays long after 

he’s fed them. I had the pleasure 

of meeting Giacomo on one of 

these such nights, as I was walking 

to my friends’ apartment 

nearby. Though I had made the 

walk many times, I had yet to 

ever encounter Giacomo, and 

was not aware that there was 

someone that regularly fed the 

cats- I figured they just hung 

around - so one can imagine my 

surprise when a shadowy figure 

emerged from under the wooden 

stairs I was walking down in 

the dead of night. It gave me 

quite a start, but I didn’t show 

it and kept walking at the pace I 

was walking at before. It felt like 

a scene straight out of a scary 

movie! However, when I told 

my friends about the encounter, 

they laughed and quickly explained 

the situation. And, sure 

enough, I finally met Giacomo 

(properly, that is) one brisk early 

morning on my way to campus 

from my friends’ apartment. So 

if you ever find yourself on the 

steps by the tram in the middle 

night and a dark silhouette 

emerges from beneath you, don’t 

worry! It’s (probably) not a serial 

killer - just a guy with a love for 

cats. Don’t be afraid to say hello! 


Suspenders! 

Campo dei Fiori is one of the 

most frequented spots in the 

area. With Trastevere just across 

the river, the square is a hotspot 

- market by day, and bustling 

with packed bars by night. Virgilio 

is one of these such bars, 

and certainly one of the most 

popular. It’s not as if the bar 

necessarily serves a unique variety 

of drinks, or plays different 

music. Rather, I believe many 

would agree that the majority of 

the reason behind Virgilio’s popularity 

is their charismatic and 

energetic bartender Momo. 

Though the staff all seem to 

be especially friendly, Momo - 

fondly dubbed “suspenders” for 

his signature accessory (as seen 

above) - has a presence that feels 

unmatched. Momo has a smile 

that is absolutely contagious, 

and, more importantly, he’s always 

open to taking requests for 

the aux. The bar typically plays 

the usual reggaeton hits, but 

goes especially crazy for the classics, 

wit Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina 

the most notable among 

them. However, Virgilio seems 

to have a knack for creating an 

atmosphere of hype to any song, 


old and new, mostly thanks to 

Momo, because if there’s one 

thing he’s going to do, it’s dance. 

One of my fondest memories of 

Mr. Suspenders is the time that 

he had a bunch of people from 

the bar line up and dance to this 

song - I unfortunately forget 

what song it was, but it was definitely 

some kind of classic - because 

he was just feeling it that 

much, and he could tell we were 

too. A bunch of strangers lined 

up doing a goofy dance in public 

without a care in the world 

when there are dozens of people 

watching is strangely satisfying; 

exhilerating - even, and certainly 

a memory that sticks with 

you long after the moment has 

passed. This is just the sort of 

atmosphere that one can expect 

from a night at Virgilio, and it’s 

truly an experience that anyoneplanning 

on spending time in 

the city, 

especially 

in the 

Trastevere 

area - 

should 

seek out. 

In addition to the usual enconuters, 

my friends and I also had 

the opportunity to have a genuine 

conversation with Momo 

towards the end of our semester 

together. It was emotional 

because the majority of them 

were study abroads who would 

be leaving this life behind, never 

to return to what, for a short 

few months, had become their 

new normal. Momo talked about 

his plans for the future, how he 

wanted to further his education 

and chase dreams of his own. 

He also expressed his sadness 

about our leaving and how he 

would miss us. It was touching 

to know that someone who had 

made such a lasting impression 

on us, sort of saw us - all of us, 

as patrons of Virgilio - the same 

way. In a world full of uncertainty 

and despair, we need to especially 

cherish our local Momos.

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW... 

In general...2020 was a completely UNUSUAL year in every aspect, From dealing with quarantines, swabs, and zooming 

in to class, the year has truly been a unique one that has changed the way we look at the world around us. However, 

as the year comes to a close we hope you have enjoyed learning about some of the other oddities that really do exist in 

Italy. We hope that you’ve enjoyed a quick guide to some of the unique qualities only found in Italy, brought to you 

by this team of truly talented students. The contributors would like to thank you for taking the time to enjoy reading 

this unique 5th issue in digital format, but in due time, it too will be available for you to hold in print format. We look 

forward to enhancing your awareness of Italy with AUR unique perspectives in the next issue, launching in May 2021. 

Lorem ipsum 

THE EDGE OF TOMORROW 

C 

M 

WHY STUDY FILM & DIGITAL MEDIA AT AUR? 

AUR’s Film and Digital Media Program is unique in being the only program of its kind to be taught in English and based in 

Italy, with the added bonus of having its seat in a city so important to the subject. 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

From this unique platform, this Program delves into the history of the discipline as well as providing instruction in film 

production, 2D and 3D animation, graphic design, digital art, app design and game design. 

The jewel in the crown of AUR’s Film and Digital Media department is its state-of-the-art Battista Multimedia Lab, boasting 

first-rate computer and software technology, broadcast-quality cameras and top-of-the-range film equipment. During the 

course of the Program, students have the opportunity to become skilled in using this equipment and to develop their own 

style and techniques. All students in the Film and Digital Media Program produce portfolios documenting their progress and 

projects – you can take a look at some of the work produced by students on this Program during their time at AUR. 

Students who complete the BA in Film and Digital Media will gain the following core competencies: 

• Articulate a wide range of concepts and ideas relating to film and digital media 

• Translate their imaginative ideas into words, film and other digital media in work which demonstrates a well-developed 

degree of control over language, narrative technique and form 

• Apply skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation in the world of film and digital media 

• Identify information needs, access and evaluate information from a variety of sources and use information ethically and 

legally to accomplish specific purposes within the context of film and digital media research 

• Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the power of film and digital media to persuade and inform audiences, 

and to foster a sense of social responsibility, professionalism, ethics and civic engagement diversity and inter-cultural 

understanding and respect. 

THE EDGE OF 

TOMORROW 

TOMORROW 

MICHAEL BAY and TAIKA WAITITI and BRAD FULLER and ANDREW FORM “TTHE EDGE OF TOMORROW” Support by Warner bros. Cinematography by Roger 

Deakins Design Team cdm digital marketing Music by Carlos tommasino special vfx Antoine fxz Edited by Gaia de mattia Filmed on Location at City 

life, milano Casting MAYIM BIALIK, DREW BARRYMORE, DANAI GURIRA, ROSARIO DAWSON, JEREMY RENNER, JEFF GOLDBLUM, MORGAN FREEMAN 

VIDEO COPILOT 

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74 | Italy in General www.videocopilot.net 

Issue 5 - December 2020 | 75

Italy In General - Issue 5 - Dec. 2020

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