La Dolce Vita University

Carla Gambescia’s passion for Italy began early—with her mother’s love of the Renaissance masters and her father’s discourses on Italian geniuses of every calling. In the ensuing decades she has toured every region of Italy (often by bicycle) and immersed herself in its astonishing array of cultural treasures. In recent years Carla has combined her passion as an Italophile and writer with her skills as a career marketer and branding expert, acting as a consultant to and a collaborator with boutique tour operators. She conceived and co-led the Giro del Gelato bicycle tour, winner of Outside magazine’s “Best Trip in Western Europe.” In 2008 Carla founded Via Vanti! Restaurant & Gelateria, in Mount Kisco, New York, with the ambition of creating a unique environment and dining experience that would enable guests to feel as though they had stepped right into Italy. Via Vanti! quickly won plaudits not just for its innovative Italian cuisine, extraordinary gelato (named “Best Gelato Shop in New York”) and dazzling jewel box interior but also, under Carla’s direction, for its active program of culinary and cultural events. It is Carla’s conviction that all of us, regardless of our inherited ethnicities, share an “inner Italian”—that part of our nature which is most expressive, festive, spontaneous and fun—just waiting to be unlocked. La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z is the natural outgrowth of Carla’s work and play in both the restaurant and boutique travel industries, as well as a lifelong love affair with the land of her ancestors.

A

Arlecchino • Arrangiarsi, the Art of Making Do • Arte • Artemisia’s Revenge • Anacapri, the Other Capri • Aperitivi to Digestivi • Amaretti, Amaretto, Amarone • Amorini, The Flying Bambini



B

Barbells and Bikinis • Bellini • Bernini’s Angels • Beatrice, Love at First Sight • Botticelli’s Venus • Bonfire of the Vanities • Burano’s Candy-Colored Casas • Bolognese . . . Sauce or Dog?



C

Carnevale • Carpaccio • Caterina’s Carciofi • Casanova, So Misunderstood • Centenarians of Sardinia • Carpet Slippers • Cosimo, Caesar of the Renaissance • Canticle of the Creatures • Cave Canem • The Castrati



D

The Davids • Dante’s Commedia • Dome-estic Pride • Duomo, Not a Dome but a Home • Dolomiti and the Via Ferrata • Il Doge and His Palace • Divorce Italian Style • Dog Days of Summer



E

Empire • The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa • Explosion of the Cart • The Exclamation Point! • Ebru, the Art of Marbled Paper • Espresso, Cappuccino, and Italian Coffee Culture • The Enormous Emperor



F

Ferro • Farro • Fichi Fantastiche • Flowering in Fiorenza • “Florence Syndrome” • Firewater • Fra Angelico and Frangelico • Felliniesque



G

Graffiti • The Grand Tour • Gelato, Ambrosia of the Boot • Gianduia, Grown-up Nutella • The Greek Soul of Sicily • Giotto, Master of Emotion • Girasole



H

Human Chess Game • Hand Gestures • High Heels • The Harry Behind Harry’s Bar • The Four Horses of the Basilica • Hall of the Hunt • Head of the Moor



I

Inner Italian • Illusionist Magic • Isabella D • Ippolito’s Golden Apple • Ignudi, not a Gnudi



J ~ K

Jazz • Jeans of Genoa • Sangiovese by Jove • Jewel Box of the Adriatic • Kabbalah and the Pope’s Ceiling



L

Leone • The Laocoon • Latin • La Bella Lingua • La Bella Figura • Limone • Livia’s Painted Garden • Le Vite • La Dolce Vita



M

Mapping Eternity • Magi Chapel • Mezzogiorno • Margherita, Queen of Pearls and Pizza • Marinara • Murano, Island of Glass • The Many Faces of Venice • Marcello



N

Nutella • Nativity Scenes • The Italian Navy • Norman Arab Sicily • Nepotism’s Legacy • Nero’s Golden House



O

Viva Oliva! • Ovid’s Transformations • Gli Occhiali de Sole • Oculus, Gateway to Heaven • Orphans of the Ospedale



P

Primavera Springs Eternal • Paparazzi • Patron Saint of Chefs and … Comedians? • This Little Piggy came from Parma • Pecorino, Cheese and Wine • Peggy’s Palazzo • Ponte Vecchio’s Surprise Savior • Plague Doctor • Pliny the Elder, Storyteller of the World



Q ~ R

The Queen Who Refined the French • Renaissance Man • Rock Star of the Renaissance • Rocks of Capo Testa • Relics, Rest in Pieces • Rocco, Patron Saint of Dogs and More • Running of the Saints • Rome’s Decorator • Ridotto “Royale”



S

Sympathy for the Borgia • Strangled Priest • Sins of the Father • Shakespeare in Amore • La Serenissma • The Salute • Snow in August • The First Snowball Fight • Scent of a Truffle



T

Trulli, Hobbit Houses of Puglia • Trevi • Tiberius’s Swimming Pool • Terrace of Infinity • Tears of Christ • Tempest in a Tiramisu Cup • Torri Saracene • Tuscan Tarot Fantasy



U

Ugly but Good • Uccello’s Battle • UNESCO Bonanza • Unswept Away



V

Venus’ Navel • Venice’s Venus • Little Venice & Vespucci • The Vespa • Vesuvius • Vitruvius, the Man • Vin Santo e Biscotti • Volare



W

Where the Wild Boar Roam • The Wolf Whisperer • Word-Playing with Your Food • Windmills of Sicily • The Wonder of the World



X ~ Z

You Say Xitomati and I Say Xitomatho • Za’Faran, From Persia with Love • Zin’s Twin? • Zecchino • Zucarri Mostri Mashup • The Zanni