The hit Canadian TV series Our City Tonight interviews T-Boy Editor Ed Boitano

• Christmas Recipes – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
• How To Store Your Holiday Leftovers and Avoid Foodborne Illness (verywellhealth.com)
• Pizza Napoletana: Naple’s Gift to the World – (Traveling Boy)
• Where to Eat in London’s East End (travelandleisure.com)
• Best Hanukkah Recipes – Recipes from NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
• Pilgrimages: Places I’ll Remember – (Traveling Boy)
• A Magical Walk Through Hemingway’s Paris – (Traveling Boy)
• Get your holiday shopping done in these Mississippi towns – (southernthing.com)
• An Activity for Each Day of the Holiday Season – (nycgo.com)
• “Divisive Concepts” Bans Will Undermine Teaching Some of the Values Conservatives Claim to Uphold – (historynewsnetwork.org)

The post See the World in January with Traveling Boy appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Now, as I stood on the shores of Naples, I was about to experience the real REAL THING. I had prepared myself with plenty of research for this sacred occasion. The word pizza was first documented in AD 997. Baker Raffaele Esposito from Naples is often given credit for creating the first such pizza pie. Unlike the wealthy minority, Neapolitans required inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. Pizza, sold by street vendors or informal restaurants, met this need. The early pizzas (known to the world as Pizza Napoletana) consumed by Naples’ poor were prepared with simple and fresh ingredients: a basic dough, San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius, a splash of olive oil and some salt with no cheese, basil and fancy toppings. The pie was then baked in a wood-burning oven made of volcanic stones from Mount Vesuvius.

Italy unified in 1861, and King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. Legend has it that the traveling pair became bored with their steady diet of French haute cuisine and asked for an assortment of pizzas from the city’s Pizzeria Brandi, the successor to Da Pietro Pizzeria, founded in 1760. The variety the queen enjoyed most was called Pizza Mozzarella, a pie topped with mozzarella di bufala – yes, the Roman brought buffalos to the Italian Peninsula – San Marzano tomatoes and green basil. (Perhaps it was no coincidence that her favorite pie featured the colors of the Italian flag.) From then on, the story goes that particular topping combination was dubbed Pizza Margherita.

The art of Neopolitan pizza-making, was recently added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO says the designation is meant to safeguard and raise awareness about forms of cultural heritage — often passed down from generation to generation — before they die out. The Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (True Neapolitan Pizza) will only issue its trademark to restaurants that follow even more stringent guidelines. But the result should be a pizza for the senses with “the flavor of well-baked bread. The slightly acidic flavor of the densely enriched tomatoes, mixed with the characteristic aroma of the oregano, garlic or basil ensures that the pizza, as it comes out from the oven, delivers its characteristic aroma.”

Pepperoni and pineapple lovers are out of luck. The association says only two kinds of pie are authentic: marinara pizza with tomato, oil, oregano and garlic and margarita pizza with the addition of cheese and basil. Neapolitan pizza has a thin crust. The edge of the crust, when baked, grows larger. It actually looks like a bicycle tire.

When news of the UNESCO recognition broke in Naples, pizza-makers handed out free slices on the street to celebrate, according to the BBC. Two million people had reportedly signed a petition supporting the piazzaiulo application. “After 250 years of waiting, pizza is humanity’s heritage, its intangible heritage,” Neopolitan pizza maker Enzo Coccia told the BBC.

But, how was the pizza and what will I tell my East Coast friends? Well, it was pretty good. Though I prefer focaccia from my ancestral homeland in Genoa (courtesy of my grandmother) and Chicago’s Deep Dish Pizza. But most importantly, in the future when I’m told that I don’t know what REAL pizza is – I am armed and ready with a reply.

The post Pizza Napoletana: Naples’ Gift to the World. appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Don’t Get a Dog!

I’m not fully healed from the mix-up of my blood pressure medication. This morning I thought I was gonna die.

Tonka and Tinker are our two corgis. The reason corgis have very large ears is because they are herding dogs/guard dogs. A little strange sound and they bark like crazy. Tonka is the older of the two … the more mature and smarter dog. He’s cool. Tinker is a teenager in dog years. Tinker’s energy level is always up, she loves to play and to tease. She steals Tonka’s toys and runs away. She’s always wagging her tail and looking for mischief. She’s your regular party animal. She’s the one that drives me up the wall.

I was working quietly on the computer. when I suddenly I hear this THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! On cue, the corgis sound the alarm: “Intruder! Intruder!” No amount of shushing worked. Before my eardrums explode, I decide to carry them up to the window and show them what’s going on. When they see what’s making the sound, they usually calm down.

I go to the window. The barking dogs follow. I wonder which dog would be first up the window. I am still weak so I decide to carry Tinker first since she’s the lighter of the two. That miserable joker goes running away thinking I am playing a game. Exasperated, I pick up the heavier 40 pound dog. My back strains; my feet wobble; but I manage to bring Tonka’s nozzle to the window. He looks at the gardener fixing the sprinkler system and I put him down. Tonka is quiet because he knows the gardener’s a good guy. I’m exhausted. I want to sit down and rest. Unfortunately, Tinker now understands I was trying to carry her, and is yelping like a  hysterical lunatic:“My turn! My turn!” With my last ounce of energy I lift that overweight smiling freak up to the window.

Any sensible animal would do the obvious thing. But instead of focusing on the source of the noise, this elephant from hell looks at the cars, the trees, and to all those shiny objects. My back begins to crumble so I put her down. That little chatterbox shrieks all the more asking to be carried again. Tonka stares at her thinking: “this is the stupidest dog in the world. When I asked you for a partner, you gave me … this?”

In my pain and misery, I start to giggle. I nearly die laughing.

Take my advice. If you’re thinking of getting a pet, buy a cat, a rabbit, a goldfish — they’re easy to maintain and guaranteed to give you a peaceful existence. You wanna die? Get a dog!

TGIF People!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Jeff of Pasadena, CA who actually wrote this joke.

Videos of the Week

Thanks to Mike of New York for sharing the story of Grandma’s speeding ticket

Thanks to Don for this Reaction Time Test that guesses your age

Parting Shots

Thanks to Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA

Thanks to Mel of Washington D.C.

Thanks to Mel of Washington D.C.

Thanks to Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

The post The Shoe Repair Shop appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The Lesser of Two Evils

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA for sharing this joke.

Video: School Teacher’s Corona Virus Song

Thanks to Ray of Burbank, Ca, USA.
The News Reporters break down with laughter when they hear her original composition.

Video: Pizza Slices

Thanks to Roger of Greater Manila, Philippines.
This is why we have to open our schools again.

Video: Eating Twinkies With God

Thanks to Nani of San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines.
A feel good video.

Don’s Puns

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C. who sent this  pun.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Thanks to Rodney of Manitoba, B.C.

The post The $30 Suit appeared first on Traveling Archive.

This installment of Three Things About Naples is courtesy of  Italian National Tourist Board.

1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that the people of Naples do for fun?

Answer:

The word CULTURE has a special meaning in Naples. It stands for collecting and illustrating the great heritage of the city. This heritage is made of many historical, artistic and archaeological sites, but moreover it is characterized by a modern spirit that gives the opportunity to create and re-create. Unlike cities in which art is stored in museums, Naples’s distinctive mark is its folklore (folklore): people living and working among the artistic beauties of the city. Naples also means “to live the city.” Our culture, customs and traditions have always been alive during the centuries. Locals enjoy the natural beauties of Naples: its sea, its hills, its mild weather, its tantalizing regional cuisine, its colorful street life, its  wonderful panoramic  landscapes, and its spirit.

2. Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about  Naples?

Answer:

Napoli Sotterranea (Naples Underground) is popular for both locals and tourists. Forty meters below the characteristic and lively streets of the Historic Center of Naples, you find a different world, unexplored, isolated by time, but deeply connected with the world above. It’s the heart of Naples, and the place from which the city was born. To visit it is to travel to the past, a world 2400 years old. Every historic epic, from the foundation of Neopolis, to the bombs of WWII, has left its mark on the walls of the yellow tufa stone, the soul of Naples, and the stone with which the city was built.   Naples is a city of exceptional beauty, a city of art, but few know the underground reality of the city. Naples Underground is the most famous and fascinating guided tour underneath the city of Naples. Guides will take you on a journey through centuries of history, from the ancient Greeks to modern times, unveiling the “womb” of Naples from an archaeological, historical, anthropological and geological point of view.

3. Question: Share some aspect of what  Naples  has contributed to the world.

Answer:

Pizza is Naples’ gift to the world. Baker Raffaele Esposito from Naples is often given credit for creating the first such pizza pie. The word pizza was first documented in AD 997. Unlike the wealthy minority, Neapolitans required inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. Pizza, sold by street vendors or informal restaurants, met this need. The early pizzas (known to the world as Pizza Napoletana) consumed by Naples’ poor were prepared with simple and fresh ingredients: a basic dough, San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius, a splash of olive oil and some salt with no cheese, basil and fancy toppings. The pie was then baked in a wood burning oven made of volcanic stones from Mount Vesuvius.

Italy unified in 1861, and King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. Legend has it that the traveling pair became bored with their steady diet of French haute cuisine and asked for an assortment of pizzas from the city’s Pizzeria Brandi, the successor to Da Pietro Pizzeria, founded in 1760. The variety the queen enjoyed most was called Pizza Mozzarella, a pie topped with mozzarella di bufala, San Marzano tomatoes and green basil. (Perhaps it was no coincidence that her favorite pie featured the colors of the Italian flag.) From then on, the story goes that particular topping combination was dubbed Pizza Margherita.

Neapolitan-Style Pizza Making Wins UNESCO Heritage Status

The art of Neopolitan pizza-making, was recently added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO says the designation is meant to safeguard and raise awareness about forms of cultural heritage — often passed down from generation to generation — before they die out. The Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (True Neapolitan Pizza) will only issue its trademark to restaurants that follow even more stringent guidelines. But the result should be a pizza for the senses with “the flavor of well-baked bread. The slightly acidic flavor of the densely enriched tomatoes, mixed with the characteristic aroma of the oregano, garlic or basil ensures that the pizza, as it comes out from the oven, delivers its characteristic aroma.”

Pepperoni and pineapple lovers are out of luck. The association says only two kinds of pie are authentic: marinara pizza with tomato, oil, oregano and garlic and margarita pizza with the addition of cheese and basil.

Pizzaiuoli can take it to the next level by stretching and tossing the pie in a doughy display of acrobatics at international competitions.

Neapolitan pizza has a thin crust. The edge of the crust, when baked, grows larger. It looks like a bicycle tire.

When news of the UNESCO recognition broke in Naples, pizza-makers handed out free slices on the street to celebrate, according to the BBC. Two million people had reportedly signed a petition supporting the piazzaiulo application.

“After 250 years of waiting, pizza is humanity’s heritage, its intangible heritage,” Neopolitan pizza maker Enzo Coccia told the BBC.

Famous Neapolitans

Antipope John XXIII: Pope

Giovanni Bernini: Sculptor, architect

King Victor Emmanuel III: King of Italy

Domenico Scarlatti: Composer

Enrico Caruso: Opera singer

Aldo Ciccolini: Italian pianist.

Totò: Actor

Vittorio De Sica: Actor, film writer & director.

Francesco Rosi: Film director

Vincent Gardenia: Actor

Antonio Di Natale: Soccer player

Valeria Golino: Actress

The post Three Things About Naples, Italy appeared first on Traveling Archive.

“We all pray to the same God” — nice thought but is that true?

“All dogs go to heaven!” — another nice thought but is that true?

When people make these kinds of statements, do they really believe it? Or are they fishing for a cosigner to agree with them … as if adding to their number of “believers”  will turn the cosmic wheel of truth towards their reality? With all due respect, TRUTH isn’t a popularity contest! 

I don’t know about you but I believe in an absolute truth. There is black. There is white. There may be 50 shades of gray but there is only one black. In music, the key of C is not C sharp or B. A tensile deviation from the standard strings of a piano will produce an awful chord.

A dear friend of mine is dying of brain cancer. Her memory is almost gone. When she still had her facilities, I tried to explain that Jesus Christ died for her and it wasn’t how good she was but her faith that was the measure of her salvation. But she dismissed my message and said she already knew all about it. She said she grew up in church. Knowing her, I knew her understanding was different from mine. Anyone can proclaim they are Christians but their actions speak louder than words. I’m not a better person nor am I that knowledgeable. All I wanted was to compare notes. I only wanted to share. But she had her own ideas. A fireman cannot force you to leave a burning building.

For all you know, she genuinely had faith. Problem solved! Yet I wish I had persisted because now it’s too late. Her brain’s gone.

Do we all pray to the same God? Do all dogs go to heaven? For my friend’s sake, I sure hope so because we only have one chance in life.

Of course this is just me.

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
— Hebrews 9:27

TGIF people!

A Second Opinion

Shared by Lois of Whittier, CA

This is my all-time favorite joke, so I probably have already told it to you. It was told by one of the funniest guys who ever lived, the talented Rodney Dangerfield.

Here’s a LINK to Rodney’s website which has a lot of his material.

How to Survive a Knife Attack
Sent by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Very practical approach to a knife wielding predator. Short and funny.

WATCH VIDEO

Scammers in China
Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Tariff Wars with China cover the news. Here’s a video explaining how scamming is done in China. Of course not all Chinese are scammers but sadly it is an essential part of the Chinese culture. If you’ve purchased shoddy stuff from Ebay, you know what I’m talking about. I know a personal friend who moved her whole family to China to train the locals. There was a contract for her to teach for several years but as soon as they learned how to do things, they let her go. This video is pretty long.

WATCH VIDEO

Positive Words
Sent by Naomi of North Hollywood, CA

Snopes.com says this video about Thomas Edison isn’t factual but the lesson is still good. Words are pretty powerful. Be careful how you use them.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Naomi of North Hollywood, CA who shared this photo

The post Second Opinion appeared first on Traveling Archive.