The scream by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch is such a powerful image that I like to post when something truly shocks, saddens or upsets me. I’m not even talking about the US elections here for I have decided not to write about them on this blog. Yet since I write so much about Italy, a country I consider my second home, I have decided that I can write about other parts of Italy and Italian culture and life that matter to me. For many years I was a political and economic journalist in Italy in the 1990s. Much has changed but much sadly remains the same, just different people running the show.

This is my first post on the topic and today I want to write about the terrible situation in Central Italy as a result of the recent earthquakes and the avalanche that followed and collapsed a hotel in…

As the cold of January seeps into my boned, I am reminded of past holiday travels in winter time. One of my favorite trips in the last years was to Chile, a magical place in all ways. When I visited Chile, I had the occasion to travel to a few wineries but the trip also encompassed four days on Easter Island, travel in the Atacama Desert and a week in Patagonia. Lucky for me, I have been able to sample many Chilean wines in the States as well. Chile offers incredible value and a host of interesting wines at various price points. Here’s a nice piece by blogger Gabe Sasso from Gabe’s View  on Chile for Snooth. Many rave about the Pinot Noir growing there. I have had a number that I liked but I still like to order Carmenere when looking at Chilean wines, more often than not. I…