Category: Cultural

Pastry Roberto, Taormina, Sicily

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Pastry Roberto is known as the best place to eat cannoli in Taormina filled at the tmoment. The store is managed by Roberto Chemi and son and it is visited by tourists from around the world. When you ask a resident of Taormina where to find this local delicious product, you will always get that answer first: With Roberto. The place is not on a main road and it gives it even more charm to find because you should walk through the narrow streets to get there. Once you get there, you will not know where to look and what to try, there is not just cannoli but also delicious little pastries made with almond paste stuffed with various fine fruits; marzipan, nougat, etc. All products are made on site and you can eat them there or take them out. I visited the place at 3 different times and the production does not stop, customers go in and out at any time and Roberto and his son give their best at every moment. I found smiling people proud of their profession, very kind, I saw the production of goods and I have tasted many. I loved it and I arecommend to visit this place which has become a must in Taormina. The place is also very, very clean.

Tips

The shop is open from early morning until 22:00. If you want to take the confections as a souvenir for your loved ones, they will enjoy them a lot. Remember that the cannoli can not be taken away because they are stuffed with ricotta prepared and filled at the moment but you can eat all that you want during your stay in town.

The Breakers, Newport, Vermont, United States

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The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s summer cottages and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence. Cornelius Vanderbilt II bought a wooden house called The Breakers in Newport in 1885, some years later he asked architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a villa and replace the framed house which had been destoyed by fire a year before. He built a 70 room house, in Renaissance Italian style inspired in 16th century palaces of Genoa and Turin. He had important collaborators from different countries. Gladys, the youngest daughter of the family inherited the house. She opened the house to the public in 1948 to raise funds for The Preservation Society of Newport County, in 1972 the association bought the house and designed it as a National Historic Landmark. We also found a stable and carriage house about half a mile from the house.
Tips
You can buy the tickets on line before your visit; you’ll find different combinations to save many if you take more than a visit for different houses.
You can have an audio guided visit too.
There’s also a shop to buy souvenirs.

Day of the Dead, Mexico

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If there is a typical holiday in Mexican culture, it is the Day of the Dead that extends south of the United States with the Mexican community. It’s a party that runs from October 31st to November 2nd, with traditions; known especially for the realization of private altars dedicated to the dead with offerings (flowers, food, candles, photos, items that belonged to the dead, etc.). From October 31st to November 1st, the day is dedicated to the dead children (angelitos = little angels), serving a sweet snack and the next day, the All Saints’ Day is dedicated to the breakfast for the ‘angelitos’ and then the rest of the day is dedicated to the deceased adults and they add other offerings in the altars. People visit the cemetery on November 2nd. Altars are erected in homes, workplaces, hotels, etc. There are also contests where they choose the most beautiful altar, the public can enter, vote and enjoy the traditional food they have prepared to share and depending on the region, you can also find native people with their own tradition. The altar has several levels that represent the different moments traversed by the soul of the dead, usually the photo of the deceased occupies the upper place of the altar. In decorations, we find small skulls made of sugar, chocolate or plastic with the name or initials of the deceased. All this decoration and offerings serve to show the deceased that he is loved and that he has not been forgotten. Usually, there is also a cross in the altar. There are garlands made with colorful paper or plastic, with cuts that show skulls, skeletons or simply geometric figures. Among the food, which must not be missed, is the dead bread that is made and eaten right in this very celebration as sweets or very sweet decorations to eat.


Tips

If you visit Mexico at this time of the year, enjoy this experience, you will not regret it. The hotels make their decorations, events and even all depending on the hotel (usually big chains), parties where you can even disguise yourself.

If you have the opportunity to see a real celebration in town, do not hesitate, it’s worth it. The Mexicans are very kind and will invite you to enjoy their specialties of the Day of the Dead even they will be delighted to join you in this event by telling you a little about the history of this tradition.

If you prefer to stay at the hotel, the various TV stations play the best-known horror films.