A famous face turns and smiles broadly. A camera clicks. A bulb flashes. A moment in time is preserved forever. This ritual occurred countless times in 1950’s Italy. The paparazzi, who would not be so named until Fellini’s La Dolce Vita film in 1960, chronicled every celebrity arrival, shopping spree, bacchanal, stolen private moment and eventual departure. The Italian public, still recovering and psychologically escaping from the ravages of WWII, seemed to have an insatiable appetite for the celebrities in their midst. Celebrities symbolized an Italy moving forward, progressing toward a better future. Not only did Italy send its famous to Hollywood, but Hollywood also came to Italy, specifically to film at Cinecitta’.

La Dolce Vita – 1950 – 1960; Stars and Celebrities in the Italian Fifties is a photographic exhibition celebrating this unique period. Italy was reveling in the peace of the mid-20th century. It had time to be frivolous and a strong desire to distance itself from the horrors of war. It feasted on the wild and wealthy lives of the famous. This hunger was fed by a steady diet of movie magazines, fattened by gossip columnists and photojournalists.



Photographs are tricks of light. They capture the image in front of the camera, but that’s only the beginning. Photographs also reveal something about the person behind the camera and the society in which they both exist. At the Dolce Vita exhibition, all of these elements are in play. At first glance, the images are captivating because of the celebrities they showcase. But with closer inspection the images reveal what is around the celebrity: the fans, the looks of adoration, the autograph books offered in hope of capturing in writing what the camera captured in light.

The women’s dresses, jewelry, shoes, gloves and purses and the men’s shirts, ties, suits and sweaters tell a story. And not only of the celebrity but more interestingly, of who surrounds them. They perch on vespas, sit at café tables, dance in nightclubs. They look happy, surprised and a little uncomfortable. This is Italy at a unique moment, on the cusp of an era that would move faster and faster toward an unknown future. Fascinated by images and stories of celebrity decadence, what scandalized Italians then feels almost quaint now. This is an Italy that existed for a time and is no more.



The exhibition is curated by Marco Panella, promoted by Ministro del Turismo, Cinecitta’ and Artix. Consisting of 84 black and white images, most have never been seen in public before. They are on display throughout Eataly, 200 5th Avenue in Manhattan, hanging from the ceiling rafters throughout the store. The exhibition lasts until November 14.

After you’ve been beguiled by the Italy of the ‘50’s, delight your stomach with dinner at nearby SD26 located at 19 East 26th Street. This is the latest restaurant run by Tony and Marisa May, the same father/daughter team who served New York at San Domenico’s Restaurant on Central Park South since 1988. SD26 serves contemporary Italian cuisine with a 750 labels Wine List. When I dined there I met Matt Dillon. Maybe I brought some of that celebrity-vibe with me from the Dolce Vita exhibition.

The Birthplace of Eataly: Turin, Italy

Eataly is a delightful combination of food market, cooking school and restaurant. It continues to expand into various Italian cities as well as Japan and Manhattan. But before it completely conquers the world, I wanted to return to where it all began: Turin, Italy.

Eataly (eataly.it) was founded by Oscar Farinetti and opened its doors in Turin in 2007. Oscar Farinetti had previously founded two very successful Italian appliance stores, UniEuro and Trony. But he wanted to return to his first love - food - so he sold the appliance companies and created Eataly.

Rather than just another food store, Eataly is a food experience. It combines professional restaurants, high-quality products and extensive, accessible education. Clear information is posted throughout the store explaining the origins and use of the products. Customers can attend an array of cooking classes given by the store’s expert staff or guest chefs. I attended a class given by the head of the seafood department. His taught the class how to feed 8 people for 8 euro (about $10) by choosing the freshest fish and then cooking and seasoning it in the simplest and most flavorful way.

My favorite aspect of Turin’s Eataly is the cellar: cool, climate controlled spaces are dedicated to wine, cheese and meat. What makes this special is that anyone can rent space in these cellars to age their food or wine. Alberto Peroglio Longhin, the president of Liberi Tutti, a company associated with Eataly, explains it this way, “Even if someone lives here in Torino, they still want to live like they have the advantages of a farm. So for example, they can buy a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and age it in our cellars until it’s ready. Then they can take it home and enjoy it.” You can enjoy photos of the cellar (and the rest of Eataly) in the slideshow below.

Consistent with Eataly’s philosophy that education should be fun, you can pick up an Eatinerario, which is an itinerary in a box, while you’re shopping. This is a special travel adventure designed to bring you to the places in Italy where some of Eataly’s delectable food is produced. Eatinerari are available in different price ranges and last from several hours to 2 days. The shortest itinerary sends you for an afternoon drive in your car to various locations of Eataly growers and farmers. One of your destinations will serve you a delicious lunch from “a rich menu of local flavors.” Other itineraries provide a guide and gourmet dinners. Whichever one you choose, everything you need for your Eatinerario (maps, reservations, etc.) are packed in a small, handy box with handles.

It’s no mystery that Eataly was created in Turin, because it is also the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is an organization founded in 1989 in response to the concept of fast food and all it brings with it: fast life, disconnection from the origins of our food supply and disappearance of local food traditions. Instead, Slow Food protects the heritage of food and culture by strengthening the connections between plate and planet. It believes that farmers, producers, cooks and consumers must work together to protect the world’s food heritage.

The Slow Food organization is a consultant for Eataly. Among other things, its members inspect Eataly’s producers and farmers to ensure that the quality of their products is not compromised to satisfy growing demand. Slow Food helps Eataly showcase sustainable agriculture and artisanal food production. To learn more, visit slowfood.com.

Enjoy the slideshow of just some of the offerings of Turin’s Eataly!