Zig-zagging around Italy, on the lookout for wild and wonderful things going on in this amazing country, we made a pit stop in Bologna. Over 300 Lamborghini’s (and their very eccentric owners) were ther waiting for us. The excuse was the 50th aniversary of the famous brand, which brought Lamborghini owners from 29 countries to Italy for a very contemporary Grand Tour. From the UK to Singapore, from Kuwait to Canada, from Tokyo (with a metallic, shocking pink, Swarovski encrusted Aventador – seeing is believing!)
After the 1200 kilometers traveling through some of the most breathtaking panoramas in Italy, the team arrived in Bologna, turning Piazza Maggiore into a very colourful carpark-for-a-day.

And yes we were there to see the Lamborghini modelling on the runway, we peeked into the trendy Galleria Cavour to get up close to the Aventador Roadster. 
And when we are in Emila Romagna everyone knows that food is way up there on our list of priorities. 150 restaurants participated in the event with special Lamborghini menus, show cooking and showcasing typical dishes like tortellini, lasagne, meatballs and several other mouthwatering recipes. A group of chefs invented  tOur-tlen, a play on words between tortellino and ‘tour’ in Bolognese dialect.

The 50 year celebration event closed with gala dinner inside the Lamborghini factory, where it is rumoured that CEO Stephan Winkelmann is said to have entered the dining room driving an Egoista – one seater, jet on wheels made in alluminium and carbon fibre. Lamborghini is real Made in Italy, a mix of innovation, technology and challenge, alway very fast. A lovely italian rags-to-riches story that began in Sant’Agata Bolognese, with founder Ferruccio Lamborghini and his tractor factory that conquered the world.

Our very own Edoardo Cicchetti spent most two days between the roof of the Cathedral (a big thank you to Don Oreste for the concession!) and Gioia’s penthouse with a view.
Thanks to Cecilia for keeping us company, and Alessandro for leaving his very special FVG to spend the day with us.
Great city, great team, great job, guys!

There is no secret that we always eat well on our Cant Forget Italy travels. Every time I get back from a Digital Diary I need about a week of fasting to be able to zip up my jeans again. But this time eating was part of research, part of the job, a serious business! A few months ago we got called in to Emilia Romagna, a region in central Italy to do a foodie project called ‘Musei nel Piatto’, getting to produce some visual content for a series of food related museums around the region. And we couldn’t say no! Emilia Romagna produces some of best italian products on the market – Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, tortellini, fantastic wines, salami’s and pressed meats, not to mention the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (if you leave the world ‘traditional’ off the front it costs a fraction of the price and is a whole different story!).

Our first stop was Montecchio Emilia, to the Wine Museum where we lunched with Alessandra Medici who generously shared all the family secrets to their family business as we sipped on award winning Lambrusco that they bottle under the Medici Ermete label. Not even the elements could stop a team like ours from moving on, and with one of worst snowstorms that Emilia Romagna has seen in years we headed on to the very elegant city of  Parma, yes, that is where ‘prosciutto di Parma’ comes from, as well as Parmesan cheese – the real Mc Koy and a long list of other exceptional products. The weather got worse as we headed for Casa Artusi in Forlimpopoli where we were delighted by Andrea Banfi and the lovely ladies in the kitchen who taught us a whole lot about how to make tortellini from scratch.

Elena and Tamara  (the lovely brunettes @1.05’ when you get to see the movie) welcomed us to the Museo dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (and do NOT forget that ‘Tradizionale’ at the end!) in Spilamberto. They enlightened us on traditional balsamic vinegar, we got to taste some 60 year old examples. Our team was made up of Leo Dalessandri behind the lense of his DSLR, John Gubertini doing the stills, and Leandra & Giuseppe who came along for the ride. And became the stars of our show. Thank you so much to David Romero Laure and Sofia for doing the editing (remote – from Màlaga) and everyone in Emilia that made us feel right at home.  We’ll be back! And just as Jona Lewie predicted way back in 1980… you will always find us in the kitchen at parties!

I started out at the age of 17 with the Yashica fx 2000, with which I used BN for portraits and colour slides for landscapes.
After many 1000s of shots, alas my relationship with this camera was abruptly interrupted on a windy day on a Spanish beach (which is perhaps the origin of my hatred of sand). I then fell back on automated photography without much substance; these cameras seem do more what they want to do than the photographer. That is before I got to know the Canon ‘family’ that brought back to the path of enlightenment.
As a member of Circolo fotografico Fincantieri Wartsila of Trieste and the Circolo fotografico Micromosso of Lucca I truly believe that these associations are fundamental to the creative evolution of a photographer through sharing and exchanging of ideas with other people.
Now divided between Michela, who patiently endures my black & white approach, both physically and mentally, and Mikaela, who made ​​me get out of my comfort zone and join her very exciting digital project, CFi, enticed by how the pages on the site come alive.
If I had to describe myself in two sentences. . .
“Photography for me is like some kind of gentle, chronic disease that allows me to express what words simply can not.”
“Black and white allows me to mix what I see with what I feel.”

Site 1 | Site 2 | Facebook

Red (white & green) tape

A couple of months ago our Trentino Partners asked us to cover the Mens Volley World Cup in the Qatari capital Doha.
We recruited the talented – but passportless- videomakers from Inception for the job. The team had to go through some hardcore Italian bureaucracy before actually getting on the plane.
Needless to say, the video was a great success, our clients, Trentino Volley won the World Cup.
Thanks Giuseppe Stasi for the visual report, which I would have found amusing if it were not actually true.

Please find this post in triple copy to keep up with the standards of Italian PA…

A couple of months ago our Trentino Partners asked us to cover the Mens Volley World Cup in the Qatari capital Doha.
We recruited the talented – but passportless- videomakers from Inception for the job. The team had to go through some hardcore Italian bureaucracy before actually getting on the plane.
Needless to say, the video was a great success, our clients, Trentino Volley won the World Cup.
Thanks Giuseppe Stasi for the visual report, which I would have found amusing if it were not actually true.

A couple of months ago our Trentino Partners asked us to cover the Mens Volley World Cup in the Qatari capital Doha.
We recruited the talented – but passportless- videomakers from Inception for the job. The team had to go through some hardcore Italian bureaucracy before actually getting on the plane.
Needless to say, the video was a great success, our clients, Trentino Volley won the World Cup.
Thanks Giuseppe Stasi for the visual report, which I would have found amusing if it were not actually true.

Italians don’t have much of a sweet tooth generally; the exception to the rule is at breakfast when it seems anything goes as far as something sweet is concerned – it’s enough to make the revered Mr Ferrero blush.

Brioche, or Cornetti depending on which part of the country you are in, are the Italian’s breakfast staple. When I first moved to Italy, I found these delights hard to stomach pre-11am. To those not familiar with the set-up the Italians take the classic savoury all butter French croissant and go hell-for-leather with the jam, Nutella or crema (custard) fillings, topped off with a generous dusting of icing sugar.

All over the country there are variations of the sweet breakfast; in Naples for example they eat flaky coda di rospo, filled with sweet ricotta while down in Bari they sup on a granita di caffe con panna which sees them through till lunchtime.

These sweet pastries, which resemble the croissant in shape only, take some getting used to, but it may go some way to explaining why Italians appear so full of life in the mornings. That and the rocket fuel coffee. No wonder by lunchtime they need to shutdown for 3 hours; the ensuing sugar and caffeine lows must take it out of them.

 Every bar in Italy is filled with every demographic, shape and size all tucking into cornetti, the less refined, but certainly no less enjoyable, cousin of the croissant. As they gorge on their breakfast, they stand at the bar (there’s no hanging around or making yourself comfortable), using a delicate paper napkin as they hold the pastry as if contaminated, being careful not to drop sugar coating or crumbly flakes on their shiny blue puffer jackets. Heaven forbid pastry on skin contact. Holding the cornetto at arms-length initially, keeping their eyes on it in case it makes a break for it, assessing the logistics of getting it in their mouth and eventually lurching in, neck extended, one hand protecting the bib area of their jacket and finally striking with the killer first bite; jam, custard or Nutella oozing from the prey’s wound. A quick swig of cappuccino or caffe lungo, a swift clean-up around the mouth with a fresh napkin and, arrivederci, breakfast is done.

OT: io però mika l’ho davvero capito, cantforget.it{aly}
by Francesco Aprile

Almost every region, city or town in Italy is synonymous with an exceptional food or wine. So much so that the map of Italy can be read like a list of groceries.
In this post I turn my attention to the celebrated produce of Modena: Balsamic Vinegar (“l’aceto balsamico”) and what makes it one of Italy’s biggest exports.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and thanks to its increase in global appeal since its introduction to international cuisine in the late 1970s “Il Balsamico” has since been forged significantly, when any old drizzly slop has been falsely passed off as the real deal. In fact, Balsamic vinegar is the third most counterfeited Italian food export in the world right after Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. Talk about hard cheese.

So what makes Balsamic Vinegar of Modena so special? Luckily the good people at Museo del Balsamico Tradizionale di Spilamberto have something to say about that.
“It is an alchemy of time and knowledge that gives it its uniqueness”. Indeed, good things come to those who wait apparently: Some vinegars have been maturing for over 100 years – and as each year passes the price tag gets heavier and heavier.

The vinegar is a product of the grapevine, although it is not true wine vinegar as such due to the fact that the grapes are reduced in a non-fermented state; At the point it becomes a thick oozy syrup it is then stored in large oak kegs to age. As the vinegar matures, it graduates to the next smaller keg, and then again to the next smaller keg (think Russian dolls), each made of different materials, each adding a new complexity of flavour.

With such hard work and painstaking patience going in to producing true Balsamico it is little wonder that Modena is rightly proud of its number one export (and that it is replicated with inferior ingredients and short cuts), satisfying the international appetite for the dark nectar.

We recently underwent an expedition to one of the lesser known areas in Italy, the spectacular Upper Langa, in the northernmost Piedmont region.
Langa is a word in Piedmont dialect, meaning ‘lingua’ (tongue), infact at about 700 meters above sea level, the Upper Langa is the highest strip of land in the area, jutting between two valleys below. The area is made up of 43 villages, mostly built in stone perched on hilltops with an average of 200 inhabitants.
The Upper Langa is decidedly different to the glossy, truffle ridden Langhe downhill well frequented by the international jet set. You won’t find vehicles with big engines (unless there to plough), furs (unless still on the animals) or conservatives (unless people doing things the good old way!).
The area is packed with hazelnut plantations, vineyards and breathtaking panoramas, in the usual #eatyourselfsillydigitaldiary we washed it all down with grappa DOC.
We made our way through winding roads, farms, guest houses, indulged in thick chocolate hazelnut spreads that we applied to practically any edible surface and learned to live without four bar internet connection for a couple of days. A big feat for digital junkies like us…
As usual we took our photographer John Gubertini from his day job in Trieste who took some amazing shots to document the people we encountered, places we visited and extraordinary experiences that Lucia and myself lived together with Mauro and Elisa from the tourist offices in Alba.

Veneto… More than just Venice.
We have proof that there is a lot more to the Veneto region than Venice and Verona.
A few weeks ago the guys from Adorable Belluno gave us an amazing opportunity to discover this exceptional city, which has somehow gone relatively under the radar. Until now.
Belluno is positively teeming with enough historic architecture to satisfy both die-hard enthusiasts and casual sightseers alike, while also boasting a varied terrain that can challenge the outdoor-adventure-types among us. And, this being Italy, a great selection of places to drink and eat local specialities.
@Valerio Tabacchi, I’m still working off the kilos of polenta that you fed me up there!
Jörg Niggli did one of his amazing tilt shift jobs to prove it…

Born in Malaga 35 years ago, I now live in the fairytale town of Ronda and have been for around 12 years now. A majority of my time is spent working with socially excluded children and creating a motivating learning experience for them. In my time I have used various media; first print, then radio, and more recently what I have found to be the most powerful tool available in my line of work, cinema. With the children, we have proudly shared our celluloid work with other educational centres, and, to blow our own trumpets, picking up a few awards along the way, including: -        “Opportunity” (2008): 1st Prize at the International Meeting of Cinema “Cinemajove” Valencia. -        “Dream Round” (2009): Spot promoting the city of Ronda, linked to the tourism page of the City of Ronda. On the matter of using film as an educational medium, I have published articles in educational journals and taught at the University of Malaga. The more and more involved I became with this methodology, the more and more it seemed to creep in to other areas of my life. From 2009 I started working on recording projects with my wife; if we are not behind our camera, we are dreaming about it. It was in 2010 that we collaborated with the Spanish Federation of Muay Thay in making commercials and documentaries about martial arts. This particular subject matter was of great interest to us and we were soon involving ourselves in video for football clubs, sports shops, endurance challenges and adventure sports – anything that has an element of a human challenge, culminating with a viral video campaign that was central to the Athletic Championships in Spain in 2011. I count myself very lucky to find myself in my position, with the opportunity of sharing my point of view and expressing myself, and how I live. Now I am not only a media consumer, I am a creator. I can’t think of any greater privilege! Furthermore I feel especially lucky to have met my wife, and thankfully she not only accepts my passion for the art form but actively encourages it  - in fact I would say that she likes to make films even more than I do.

Vimeo | Facebook

https://vimeo.com/21930017

What more romantic way to celebrate your undying love for that special someone than in the very birthplace of the saint’s day, here in Rome? Every year many tourists choose to do just that. True, it is a good time of year to visit, and especially if you are a couple. I have leaned this year that Italians love Valentine’s Day so much that many places, including some restaurants and museums, as well as ski resorts even, offer discounts if you are a couple. Nothing says “I LOVE YOU” quite like “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” in my book. Yet while the rest of the western world is upping their prices for the privilege of eating a set menu that makes the average wedding breakfast look interesting, here is Italy discounting for people already in love. As if these smug couples deserve any more happiness?! Talk about kicking the singletons when they’re down…

So here I am, living in arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world, and I am fresh out of inspiration as to how to whisk my wife off her feet. As each year passes it becomes harder and harder to WOW her as I once could (that head scratching you can hear is Mrs W, trying to recall a time I actually did WOW her. She is kidding of course). The pressure is on.

I am reminded exactly how unromantic I am at almost every turn. Everywhere I look there is some symbolic monument to love or passion, be it the layers upon layers of confessions of ‘amore’ graffitied on crumbling walls by lust-struck ragazzi, or by the hawkers who try to push their red roses at dusk (wasn’t he the same guy trying to sell me one of his umbrellas at the last downpour of rain? These guys have internal barometers for precipitation, love and carribinieri it seems) or by the couple passionately locked together at the mouth shamelessly PDA’ing that somehow only Italians in Italy can get away with. And is it just me, or are there more and more obelisks and erupting fountains than there used to be? The pressure is on.

While we are not a pair who go for the chocolate box Valentines day or expect grand gestures on V-Day at all, we do like to celebrate in, shall we say, at least an understated way. A handmade card, an unexpected cup of tea, a pot of cyclamen, that kind of thing (…I know, pretty racy stuff, right?). I surely have a head start though, since we already live in the world’s most romantic city.

So here it is: my shortlist of things to do in Rome, if not to WOW my wife then at least to please her:

1. Take advantage of that 2-for-1 ski pass deal at Campo Felice.
2. Wrap up warm for a wintery passagiato through Centro Storico, taking refuge from the cold in the recently opened Etablì.
3. Explore local fresh produce in an incredible food market (we recommend the covered markets of Testatccio or Trionfale) if you are in Rome – Get there early to make sure you don’t miss out).
4. Scale Gianicolo hill to catch the setting sun over Rome. From here you can almost see the history of Rome played out before your eyes, Once aperitivo hour arrives, head to nearby Il Baretto on your way down to Trastevere. Considered a hidden gem in Rome for its hip style and cool cocktails.
5. After your walk through picture postcard Trastevere, escape the crowds and head to Sorpasso, not far from Castell Sant’ Angelo. IF you have not quite finished with aperitivo, order a Spritz (they come in oversized jam-jars and a good slice of fresh orange), or their excellent prosecco, and perch precariously in the bar with while various slices of freshly prepared pizza bianca, prosciutto and formaggio are put in front of you. The dinner menu is simple and excellent, and updated daily.
6. For late night gelato, head over to Il Gelato Bisto, a recently opened artisanal ice cream joint.

Welcome to our new content manager George Wells.
George is based in Rome, and very British on the inside. No one else would consider a cup of tea romantic!

I love the feeling of getting off a plane in a new country with no plans but to simply run around and explore. There’s nothing that makes me feel more alive than a good ol’ adventure in a off land. I love sharing engaging stories and am very lucky to have made it my profession.  My favorite medium is through video but I also enjoy writing and photography. I’ve produced and appeared on Travel Channel, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, CurrentTV and Men’s Journal.  My road to becoming a travel show host began at the very bottom of the ladder, public access TV in Boulder Colorado. I didn’t make a dime, but the experience of shooting, editing and hosting my was invaluable. My adventure show was called ‘Out There’ and the mission was to inspire viewers to ‘Get of their couches and explore this beautiful world’.

Riding a bicycle is my absolute favorite way to travel. Pedaling at 15MPH is the perfect speed to take in every breathe of a country’s beauty and there’s no better way to get close to mother nature. I’ve produced content from the seat of my bicycle all over the world and have ridden across the U.S. four different times. Although my behind gets very sore, it’s an addicting way to explore the planet.

My main goal is to make the world a better place and I’ve made many promotional videos for wonderful non-profits. These videos have been effective in gaining awareness and donations for orphanages, bicycle advocacy groups and volunteer organizations.

Besides my work in front of the camera, I’ve also directed a handful of short films that have played in adventure film festivals around the world.

Personal website | Facebook | Youtube channel

Everyone loved your Mini Matera video, but more importantly everyone saw it

that means that you classified first place in the competition. And you get to take home the booty.

You’re € 3.400,00 is on its way, goed gedoen, boet, as they say back home in Cape Town!

Looking forward to having you tell us a new story in another part of this fantastic country soon.

I started playing an instrument quite late, when I was 17, by then music quickly took over and in less than two years my greatest passion became my job.

I was born near the volcano Vesuvius in one of the most fertile lands in the world, also rich in history and music culture, a land where  a nice singing voice and a frame drum together can perform miracles. I’ve got vivid memories of some obscure nursery rhymes that I used to hear and learn when I was little, in that typical volcanic rhythm called “tammurriata”.

I’ve spent most of the last thirteen years in London and that has really opened up my perspectives on cultural crossovers and many other things, it has also “brought” me back to my own roots somehow, in fact my music research is now mainly about Mediterranean identity, that means three old continents joining into an incredible sea and a lot of history, “colours” and sounds to mix and play with.

YouTube | Website | Myspace | Facebook

I am now a relentless traveler and video journalist: a producer, shooter, writer, editor and host—all in one! I love to explore new places, meet interesting people, try new things, get lost, get found, fly by the seat of my pants, and most of all, share these stories with the world. I carry a camera with me everywhere I go. You just never know when the moment will inspire you. I work hard… not because I have to, but because I love what I do. I shoot in dresses, and boots and pink lipstick.  I don’t care if it’s sensible, it’s what I like to do. I love my gear: cameras, rigs, tripods, the whole nine yards. These are my tools for telling a great story. As much as I love to see the world through the lens, I also enjoy being on camera. People say I light up a room, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. My aim is to inspire others to get off the couch and explore the world, too. Most people have no idea what they are missing by staying home!

Armed with a background in journalism and advertising, I’ve been lucky to combine two passions of mine: Travel and Filmmaking. I’ve worked on projects for the Travel Channel, Lonely Planet, and the Food Network. Some of my wackiest assignments have led me to film in the inner circle of Stonehenge, to shooting a Thanksgiving feast in the middle of July. I’ve also worked on a handful of online social media / marketing campaigns. Viator hired to me to host and film over 100 travel videos across North America—and  Rand McNally and Usa Today assigned me to be their “fun expert” in the Best of the Road project. But just like all great adventures, the end is just the beginning. More adventures to come!

Website | Blog | Facebook profile | Vimeo | YouTube

Mart – Giuseppe Tornatore. Prima del Cinema by Terenzio Stringa

Our second Basilicata adventure is coming to an end.
In ten days we will see which of the seven videos you guys preferred.
Timmy Henny is currently running up front with his much appreciated Mini Matera followed by Red Drops of Life, Basilicata Through the Eyes of Women, South Italy – The Strength of Tradition, Memories, Basilicata: regione di luce and Walking back with my eyes closed.
Just to remind you that the Digital Diarist with the most views will take home a cash prize of €3 400 followed by a series of smaller (but never the less substantial!) prizes for a total of €12 500.
You’ve still got time to view, like, comment, share and help your personal favorite video maker take home the booty.
Views will count up until January the 31st.

For over four years, I lived without a home, moving to a new city every few months and flying around the world. The first question I always received:
“How can you afford to live this lifestyle?”
I always laugh — the average person thinks that travel is an expensive endeavor, because they’ve never turned traveling into a lifestyle. Vacations cost money, for sure, because they are so short. When an American travels for two weeks to Spain, and stays in a fancy hotel, and eats four-star meals, of course it will be an expensive trip.
But when traveling is your lifestyle, well, things are different. Instead of the price of the ticket costing the majority of your trip, it becomes a small part of your expenses. First of all, you only buy a one-way ticket. A digital nomad heads to an area, and explores it—often via train or bus, rather than air.
A digital nomad carries everything he or she owns in his backpack, not in a house. This can drastically cut down costs.
A regular person has a house to pay for, a car to spend on, and recurring costs like gas, utilities, etc. A digital nomad cuts out everything that restricts freedom—no more recurring fees, no more mortgage payments. Just the cost of travel and living.
When I live in New York City, I spend about $3000 / mo. Over four years of traveling, I’ve found that I spend much less, anywhere else. Including rent and all expenses, I spend:
$1100/mo in Buenos Aires, Argentina
$1500/mo in Berlin, Germany
$1000/mo in Medellin, Colombia
$330/mo in Udaipur, India
The truth is, travel is a lot cheaper than living in a first world nation. We just aren’t brought up to think that way. Especially in America — the home of the 2-week/year vacation — we think that travel is a luxury reserved for the rich.
The truth is, travel opens minds and costs less than you’d ever dream possible.
The trick is to realize one vital truth. You can have anything in the world you want.
You just can’t have everything.

Maneesh Sethi