Olive harvest 2011 – a healthy success! Thanks to our friends from La Tartaruga Sabina, the villa and estate of the Micheletta family, Rome Today followed along the thorough process of turning olives into a year-long supply of extra virgin olive oil. Luckily, their amazing OSCO olive oil will soon be available in store shelves in the United States…with New York as its first stop. In our upcoming video, we’ll learn more about the beautiful region of Sabina and its most prized possession – Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil!

(You can see more pictures from the olive harvest on our Facebook page!)

Rome Today went behind kitchen doors at Bar Pompi – the one place in Rome known for making the best Tiramisu in town. Besides making the classic Tiramisu, Bar Pompi also makes a strawberry and a unique pistachio flavored version. For those of you who love dessert, Bar Pompi is the place for this heavenly delight. In this video, Bar Pompi shares with us three tips to making anyone’s personal recipe even better. After 50 years in business, it’s little wonder why they are often referred to as “Il Regno del Tiramisu” or “Kingdom of Tiramisu”.

October is by far the best time to visit Rome. Temperatures are slightly cooler and grape season is in full swing. Wine is overflowing everywhere and bunches of fresh picked grapes are ready to be eaten – especially in the medieval town of Marino, where the “Sagra dell’Uva” attracted hundreds to drink up last year’s reserve to make room for this year’s vino novello. Since 1925, the town of Marino (south of Rome) has graciously shared with locals their abundant source of produce and wine by handing out over 150 tonnes of grapes and providing 3,000 litres of local white wine during their four-day festival. The highlight of the event is when they turn the water from the city’s main fountain into sparkling white wine, giving visitors a taste of Marino’s famous wine.

The grape festival, which is one of the oldest in Italy, commemorates the return of Admiral Marcantonio Colonna to his home in Marino after his victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in October 1571. The sagra is celebrated during the month of October to give thanks for the safe return of more than 250 sailors sent to battle.

After all these years, Romans continue to show their appreciation for this victory and long-standing tradition by visiting Marino’s annual wine and grape festival.

(As always, you can check out more pictures on our Facebook page!)

What a treat! Rome Today went behind kitchen doors at Bar Pompi – the one place in Rome known for making the best Tiramisu in town. Besides making the classic Tiramisu, Bar Pompi also makes a strawberry and a unique pistachio flavor one. For those of you who love dessert, Bar Pompi is the place for this heavenly delight.

In our next Rome Today segment, Bar Pompi shares with us three tips to making anyone’s personal recipe even better. After 50 years in business, it’s little wonder why they are often referred to as “Il Regno del Tiramisu” or “Kingdom of Tiramisu.” Stay tuned! Oh, and don’t forget – we have more behind the scenes photos on our Facebook page!

This weekend, a festival celebrating porcini mushrooms of the area, along with other local specialities such as meat, cheese, honey, liquorice and homemade pasta, was held in the tiny town of Oriolo Romano. Although the weather hasn’t cooled off much, it was nice to enjoy these meaty mushrooms in every dish – from fettuccini pasta with ragù sauce and mushrooms to fried mushrooms, veal and mushroom stew, mushroom bruschetta, plus bean and mushroom soup. This year’s festival was a huge success amongst Italians who consider the Porcini mushroom KING in the world of wild, edible mushrooms. Buon appetito!

(We have more pictures on the Rome Today Facebook page!)

Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence outside Rome, hosted its annual peach festival a few weeks ago. This was the first summer festival that reminded me so much of home since Texas is also known for its yummy fresh peaches.

Along with its breath-taking view over Lake Albano, this tiny town is the ideal place to spend a day in history, nature, art and good food! And for those of you who are Dan Brown fans, this quiet little spot was featured in “The Da Vince Code.” Beware of the Swiss Guards.

I recently read an article by travel writer Rick Steves discussing how American travelers often find themselves in a state of shock when they visit Europe and are exposed to European nudity in public. I couldn’t help but laugh since I was one of those Americans when I first visited Italy in 2004. I felt uncomfortable with such uninhibited behavior. My husband, who is from Italy, reassured me that it was normal and acceptable to go topless at the beach. Unfortunately, his words did little to get me to bare it all. Instead, I couldn’t help but secretly stare and wonder why or how so many people could feel comfortable in their birthdays suits (or at least half of them) in public. As I observed, I witnessed every body type: from my own in-laws sporting a bikini and Speedo at the age of 70, to little girls running around with only bottoms on, to little boys in the nude, to grown men in fitted boxers, underwear or the tiniest of shorts, to cellulite-free bodies, well-tanned biceps, stretch marks, no-tan-line silhouettes and everything in between. Not to mention, there were pregnant women on the verge of delivery staying cool in two-piece suits with no hesitation or discomfort enjoying the sun. Their self-confidence reminded me of Demi Moore when she made headlines for posing nude on the cover of Vanity Fair when she was seven months pregnant.

As the summer passed, I tried to muster up the courage to do the same, but couldn’t. I didn’t feel comfortable enough showcasing my breasts in mid-air or for any other man to enjoy the sight publicly. So I proceeded with caution until I started to learn more about Italian culture. I spent countless afternoons at local museums trying to immerse myself in Italian art and culture, and I started noticing one common theme: Exposed bodies everywhere…featured in art, statues and paintings. This sparked my interest in learning more about ancient Greek and Roman art, when heroic nudity was openly accepted. It was a time when the athletic body or human body was admired, when gladiators were cheered on for their Olympic-sized bodies and strength, when curves were the norm instead of the exception. Full-figured women were glorified for their childbearing abilities and all networking occurred in open bathhouses, with a towel-wrapped around waists, instead of behind the keyboard on Facebook. I realized the focus back then was accepting one’s body regardless of size, shape or ability. Embracing one’s own sexuality was part of the human experience until shame and embarrassment was introduced by religion, with the famous “fig leaf” covering up Adam and Eve. Once I reached this conclusion, I decided I would allow the spirit of Venus and the statue David to live on and abandon my overly prudish behavior abroad and embrace my body for all its curves and imperfections.

Cherries are the perfect summertime treat. They are irresistibly sweet! However, learning how to pick them is a lesson in itself. In our next Rome Today segment, we’ll take you to the tiny town of Palombara Sabina and show you the fine art of cherry picking. Here’s a sneak peek in picture form. Stay tuned for the upcoming video segment!

No other place in the world dresses up and celebrates like the Venetians. The costumes, the masks and all the confetti make Venice the ideal place to celebrate Carnival. I had so much fun!

The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial is a cemetery for our military servicemen and women who paid the ultimate price of war in World War II.

It was initially set up as a temporary wartime cemetery on 24 January 1944 in Nettuno two days after the landing on the beaches of Anzio and Nettuno. Today, the site covers 77 acres with the headstones of 7,861 American military war dead from every state.

As you walk along the headstones, you can’t help but feel a sense of peace and serenity as you’re silently reminded that time will never dim the glory of their service. God Bless the United States of America and its unwavering commitment to freedom!

Summer is in full bloom in the tiny town of Genzano with its annual “Infiorata,” the festival of flowers. Every year, local artists turn main street (Via Italo Belardi) into the longest decorative carpet of flowered designs inspired by religious paintings and famous artworks. This year’s theme was a tribute to the 150th Anniversary of the Republic of Italy and its flag colors.

From Garibaldi to Pope John Paul II, the tradition of creating symbolic designs dates back to 1778 following the religious feast of Corpus Christi. After all these years, the sight and smell of so many flowers is truly uplifting!

This weekend I had a chance to relive the days of SPQR – the Senate and the Romans – in an ancient town just outside Rome (Tivoli). The “LAVINIUM” group had its annual Roman re-enactment of the Roman Army and its rise to power. Watching them in action was so much fun. For a brief moment, I felt like I was an extra on set of “Gladiator.”

Thousands gathered to hear Lady Gaga demand the end of intolerance and discrimination against the gay community at the historic Circus Maximus in Rome. She appeared to feel comfortable and honored to be in Italy lobbying for the gay community and embracing her Italian roots by sharing her name Stefania Giovanna Angelina Germanotta on stage.

I had the misfortune of running into the cast of Jersey Shore in Florence this weekend. In case you haven’t heard, the show is filming season 4 here, in a city where Renaissance art, street artists, David’s flawless nude body, statues and Christ take center stage. After my brief run-in with the cast, I learned they aren’t even slightly interested in Italian culture/tradition. Instead, they find comfort in playing into their stereotypes, regardless of location.

Another year. Another successful run. Thousands laced up for the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure Italia. In between tourists, gladiators and historical monuments attracting participants to stop and take a quick picture (including me), everyone made it to the finish line, including little paws for a cure! The global movement to help end breast cancer continues.

An entire festival dedicated to artichokes? Never heard of it until I came to Italy and learned superfoods, or veggies such as broccoli, artichokes, mushrooms, chestnuts, olives, fava beans, strawberries and asparagus, get their own day! During the month of May, Italy is going green for the one meal-time dinner that wins in every category when it comes to health benefits – high in vitamin A and C, folic acid, fiber and potassium. Plus, they help prevent and control all sorts of health problems including a healthier digestive system. So tonight reach for the one miracle food that will have you living longer, stronger and happier!

This summer’s beatification of Pope John Paul II was amazing. It meant a lot to me because I was able to attend Holy Mass in his presence back in 2004, and then I was able to attend his beatification in 2011.

I made a visit to TEBRO, a company that designs linens for the home and to wear, to see a specialized napkin created just for Pope John Paul II.

Earth Day 2011 was a huge success! More than 200 volunteers showed up to help RETAKE ROMA from graffiti that threatens the historical beauty of residential areas. Thanks to everyone’s support and efforts, including the personal support of all three U.S. ambassadors to Italy and the mayor of Rome. Results clearly show what happens when you think GLOBALLY, ACT locally!

I was honored to shoot a segment at the great Il Vero Alfredo restaurant – the birthplace of Fettuccini Alfredo! The list of celebrity customers is endless, including a classic picture of the late Elizabeth Taylor.