Latest news with #Saviano
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Another TV series about the mob? Some in Naples say, ‘Basta.'
Perhaps no modern pop culture reference has clung more stubbornly to Naples, Italy's third-largest city, than 'Gomorrah,' the title of Roberto Saviano's 2006 nonfiction bestseller about the Neapolitan mafia. A critically acclaimed movie followed in 2008, and the TV series premiered in 2014 and ran for five seasons. Two more movies debuted in 2019: 'The Immortal,' a spinoff, and 'Piranhas,' based on a Saviano novel about crime bosses as young as 15. And now there's 'Origins.' Advertisement So excuse some Neapolitans if they say they've had enough. 'They filmed the first one; they filmed the second one,' said Gennaro Di Virgilio, a fourth-generation owner of an artisanal Nativity shop. 'Basta.' Once too dangerous and corrupt to attract many foreigners, Naples has been in the thrall of a tourism boom for years. Social media has lured visitors to the city's history, food, and sunshine, helping Naples shake off some of its seedy reputation, though youth unemployment and crime remain stubbornly high. But the city keeps getting typecast, some Neapolitans say, as Gomorrah, reducing its residents to those engaged in the 'malavita,' the lawless life. 'Why must only bad things be said about us?' lamented Delia D'Alessandro, whose family handcrafts cornicelli, or red, horn-shaped amulets believed to offer protection from evil. 'I am in love with my city. Every time I take a waterfront stroll at sunset, I get emotional.' Advertisement 'Gomorrah' may not sell romance. But it has hardly dimmed Naples' allure, while introducing many non-Italians to the city. The creators of the series, who dismissed their critics as the grumbling of a few, expressed gratitude to Naples and its residents. After filming for 'Origins' wrapped last month, director Marco D'Amore, thanked Naples -- 'this unique and rare city-world' -- on Instagram. While the original series was airing, some residents dressed up as the protagonists for Carnevale. At least one shop on the famed Via San Gregorio Armeno, known for its Nativity figurines, sells statuettes of some of the main characters: Ciro Di Marzio (aka 'the immortal') and Gennaro 'Genny' Savastano, the young mob don, complete with his signature chain necklace. (They were recently joined by a new figurine of Pope Leo XIV.) Riccardo Tozzi, lead producer of 'Gomorrah: Origins,' defended the show, which he points out has long drawn from Naples' vibrant theater scene to cast local actors and hire local crews. The objections of detractors have carried little weight with the wider public, he added: 'Nobody thinks, 'Oh, God, I'm not going to Naples because there is the Camorra.'' He called opposition to the show a misguided attempt at artistic censorship 'that didn't exist even during the Fascist era.' And he argued that an unflinching narrative, even if perceived as 'negative,' appeals to audiences. 'The postcard of the beautiful and the good is boring,' he said. Advertisement The mob's real-world influence in Naples is diminished, but not gone. The Camorra has evolved, experts say, still trafficking drugs and laundering money but no longer controlling large swaths of territory. The cramped Spanish Quarter used to be infamous for its pickpockets and muggers; today, it is a tourist destination better known for its pizza joints and a giant mural of Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona, who once played for Napoli and is revered. But even with a smaller mob footprint, Naples and its suburbs suffer from entrenched problems that visitors to touristy parts of the city may not see, including high rates of school absenteeism, youth violence, and unemployment. Those social ills, among the worst in Italy, are especially pronounced in neighborhoods such as Scampia, outside Naples, home to a violent Camorra turf war two decades ago that was recounted in the 'Gomorrah' book. Gennaro De Crescenzo, a teacher at the local Melissa Bassi High School, acknowledged Scampia's ongoing troubles. But most big cities face social challenges, he added, and it is unfair for his students to be 'indelibly branded' by their infamous neighborhood, though 'Gomorrah' has not filmed there in years. He said some of his students who go abroad to work find that they cannot escape the taint of the old neighborhood. 'You're from Scampia?' people ask. 'Oh, 'Gomorrah!'' 'It's a cliche,' said Domenico Mazzella di Bosco, the school principal. 'It's easy to stick, but then, let's face it, it's difficult to remove.' De Crescenzo said he and others are mulling calling for a boycott of 'Origins' once it premieres. (Its Italian release is slated for early 2026.) Much of the 'Gomorrah' film and early parts of the series were filmed in a vast public housing project of white, triangular buildings in Scampia named 'Le Vele,' or the sails. Today, two of the three remaining Vele stand empty, walled off and graffitied, their demolition slowly underway. Officials evacuated the third Vela after a walkway collapsed last summer, killing three people. Advertisement 'Gomorrah: Stop nourishing yourselves with our lives,' read spray paint in Italian on one of the walls. Back in the Spanish Quarter, Ciro Novelli had taped an anti-'Gomorrah' sign on the door of his small grocery store that proclaimed: 'You are warned, media usurers of a reality that dishonors our civilization.' The problem with the latest Camorra-inspired fiction, Novelli said, is that it does not always show how those in the 'malavita' often end up in jail or dead. A customer, Giuseppe Di Grazia, recalled that when he was young, mob bosses were feared by many young men. Now, he added, a teenager 'wants to imitate him. He wants to surpass him. He wants to become him.' Maurizio Gemma, director of the Film Commission of the Campania Region, said he can sympathize with those sentiments about crime shows, especially in places dealing with violence. But, Gemma said, the answer is not to 'condemn the story.' 'An evolved society must be able to manage its contradictions and must also be able to talk about its contradictions,' he said, 'in the hope that these contradictions will be overcome and that these problems will be solved.' This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Book Uncovers America's Forgotten Bond Between Bourbon and Cigars--And Introduces the First-Ever Pairing Wheel
MIAMI, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Cigar Press announces the release of Smoke & Oak: The Shared Legacy of Bourbon and Cigars – An American Story of Craft, Culture & the Science of a Perfect Pairing, the groundbreaking new book by author, researcher, and entrepreneur Sebastian Saviano. Following the success of his acclaimed America's Cigar Story: The History, Politics, and Legacy of Cigars from 1762 to the Modern Era, Saviano returns with an ambitious cultural work that reveals how two of America's most iconic traditions—bourbon and cigars—grew in tandem, shaped national identity, and today offer a sensory experience rooted in heritage and science. "Where America's Cigar Story traced the journey of a single tradition, Smoke & Oak explores what happens when two iconic legacies converge," said Saviano. "This book is about rediscovery—of rituals, regions, and relationships that were never meant to stand apart." Smoke & Oak Redefines the Pairing Experience Spanning over four centuries, Smoke & Oak takes readers from colonial tobacco fields and frontier stills to modern lounges and rickhouses—especially in Kentucky, where bourbon's identity was forged, and Tennessee, where whiskey traditions run equally deep. The book blends deep historical research with cutting-edge flavor science, offering the first-ever full-color Bourbon & Cigar Pairing Wheel—a visual tool that demystifies the art of flavor harmony, balance, and contrast. Far more than a pairing manual, the book presents a cultural, scientific, and sensory journey through America's most enduring crafts. Inside the Book: A sweeping dual history of bourbon and cigars, from colonial roots to the boutique revival Prohibition and the Cuban Embargo: twin crises and how both industries reinvented themselves Scientific insights into fermentation, barrel aging, and molecular flavor interactions Regional terroir profiles: Kentucky bourbon country meets global cigar-growing zones A complete pairing guide with tasting methods, setting strategies, and the first-of-its-kind Pairing Wheel Richly designed and intellectually grounded, Smoke & Oak is essential reading for bourbon and cigar lovers, hospitality professionals, cultural historians, and anyone who appreciates the art of intentional living. AVAILABILITY Title: Smoke & Oak: The Shared Legacy of Bourbon and Cigars – An American Story of Craft, Culture & the Science of a Perfect Pairing Author: Sebastian Saviano Publisher: The American Cigar Press Publication Date: May 28, 2025 ISBN: 979-8-998-51170-7 Available through major booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and at MEDIA & REVIEW COPIES Journalists, reviewers, or event curators interested in Smoke & Oak may contact:395763@ | 305.770.8099 About The American Cigar Press The American Cigar Press is committed to publishing works that preserve, explore, and celebrate the craftsmanship, industry, and cultural legacy of cigars and related traditions. Learn more at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The American Cigar Press
Chicago Tribune
10-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Outdoor pickleball courts planned for Elmwood Park's Village Circle
Elmwood Park has been awarded a substantial Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the state of Illinois to be used for a project that is part of the village's ongoing redevelopment in the Village Circle. The $376,250 in grant money will be used to cover half of the anticipated $752,500 cost for construction of four new pickleball courts that will be built adjacent to the Aquatic Center, 2 Contic Parkway, near the Community and Recreation Center. The new courts will be the village's first outdoor courts, as pickleball is currently offered indoors in the main gym. 'The indoor program is very popular,' village manager Paul Volpe said. 'We host pickleball during the day throughout the week, and the gym is always packed with people playing. It is common to see people waiting to get on the courts.' Volpe said village officials hope to have the new courts completed by the spring of 2026. 'Because the project impacts the pool area, we will wait until the pool closes in the fall,' he said. In addition to the new pickleball courts, the OSLAD grant will also facilitate improvements to the Aquatic Center, with a new artificial turf area for sunbathing and a new playground. 'We continue to invest in our outdoor recreation opportunities because we know how important it is for the quality of life for our residents,' village President Angelo 'Skip' Saviano said. 'We've made improvements all around town, and we're always looking for new opportunities to enhance our recreation opportunities. When we can take advantage of a state grant like this, it's all the better.' The development of the Village Circle on Conti Parkway continues the momentum Elmwood Park has generated for its town center. Over the past 10 years, new luxury apartments have been developed in the area along with several new restaurants, a new community recreation center, and outdoor bocce courts, along with summer concerts, car shows, and other community events. 'One of my main goals for my administration has been to reinvigorate the business community in Elmwood Park and open up new opportunities for growth and development,' Saviano said. 'The transformation of the Village Circle is a remarkable story and we're not done yet.' Volpe said the Village Circle was a mess when Saviano was first elected in 2013. 'There were failing and shuddered businesses and dilapidated buildings falling further into disrepair each day,' he said. The building of a recreation center, which includes both indoor and outdoor bocce courts, and the addition of a fitness center and golf simulators have been major upgrades during Saviano's tenure as village president. 'We also have replaced the dilapidated buildings with new, luxury condominiums; opened a vibrant breakfast restaurant, where there was before a vacant storefront; and brought Culver's to the entranceway to the Circle, replacing what was a vacant, deteriorating and obsolete commercial structure,' Volpe said. Along with the new pickleball courts, village officials also are excited about the addition of Pompei Bakery, which is expected to open this summer at the corner of Conti Parkway and Sunset Drive. 'Pompei Bakery has been a popular and successful restaurant on Taylor Street (in Chicago) since the early 1900's,' Volpe said. 'They will offer an outstanding, already popular menu in a family friendly, brand new restaurant in town. The village is incredibly lucky to attract that type of investment.'
