Horoscope for June 2021: Stars & Styles

Curated by Francesca Romana Riggio

Text by Astro Coach Massimo Giannone

Illustrations by Maria Lombardi



ARIES

“Passion is everything. I desire the smallest things so madly, as well as the biggest ones. I have no peace” – Gabriele D’Annunzio

In a song by Domenico Modugno “Nel blu dipinto di blu”, the singer wants to convey energies and lightness through colors and notes. All dreams disappear at dawn and lead to look at the stars and fly. In a part of the song, he describes his enthusiasm like this: “I flew happily higher than the sun and even more, while the world was slowly disappearing over there, a sweet song was playing only for me…”. This song was probably written by the singer with Franco Migliacci on one of the saddest days of his life. That indicates that from a drastic event and pain, authentic marvel can rise. 

Dear Aries friends, when situations around us tend to afflict us or prevent us from looking at the future, we need to be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and desire to do. It is in the difficult phases that we can implement our winning ideas and great projects. 

Love: by removing negative thoughts and believe that you can improve your condition. It is necessary to find a way to discuss and have dialogues being willing and avoiding closing yourself off. 

Career: Saturn in Aquarius will give you a sort of wisdom dictated by experiences of sacrifices that you have made over the last few years. Ongoing changes require high focus and desire of stimuli. An amazing path is taking place.

Your Path is: ENTHUSIASM

In Greek culture, the word enthusiasm expressed physical or mental excitement. You were pervaded by a deity that made you crazy somehow. Platon distinguished the enthusiasm associating it to divinities: Apollo led to prophetic delirium, Dionysus led to mystic delirium, the Muses led to poetic delirium, and Afrodite to love delirium. A sort of disconnection from reality, the divinity led the individual to a non-rational dimension where the reason does not act and superior energy took over. Actually, through a flow of energies, what is incomprehensible can turn into reality. 



TAURUS

“Understanding human beings is intelligence, understanding oneself is wisdom” – Lao Tse.

A sentence in Matthew’s Gospel impressed me: “Those who want to save their life will lose it, those who will lose their life for my sake will find it again”. This leads to me a reflection: one can rise from its ashes only through sacrifices and pain. This is the path needed to purify the soul and lead it to a gradual evolution until it reaches an immense light made of beauty and purity. 

Even Dante Alighieri, in his works, tells us about a similar journey: the human being must know the hell to reach heaven. Only through the knowledge of evil, he/she can reach goodness. Jung, a famous psychologist, states that it is not enough to know many books to become a psychologist, but it is necessary to observe with your own eyes the dynamics around us, from the most hideous to the most beautiful ones. I remember my father’s quote: “The path will give you the right experience.”

Dear Taurus friends, with wisdom and depth of soul, you will be able to change yourself drastically. It will be a difficult path. Through the pain, the experiences will lead you to personal growth and empathy towards others. Only those who have crossed such routes can understand and donate with their essence. 

 Love: you will experience a phase of self-criticism and search in your soul for the reasons why things happen in your daily sentimental life. You will be sympathetic towards those who love you, even if they are in the wrong. Like a wise old man, you will listen to them and with a smile, you will demonstrate your closeness. 

Career: with Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces, you will be able to have the right vision to act and understand your colleagues’ needs. You will adopt a far-sighted vision and you will support people in need. 

Your Path is: EMPATHY

With empathy, the ability to pick up the deepest values, and the right attitude towards yourself and others, you will balance your daily tensions. Through a deep reflection, you will reach a state of mind that enables you to connect with other people recognizing their emotions and accepting their points of view. In this way, you will understand the meaning of everything.



GEMINI

“Each man confuses the limits of his sight with the limits of the world” – Arthur Schopenhauer. 

In a poem by Gerald Parks, an American poet and writer, he wishes to overcome the obstacles, and he writes: “People are provincial: their province is the world[…] and the sea and the sky are the only borders.”People often adjust to their environment and establish borders conventionally. However, they should change their point of view. 

Dear Gemini friends, an important phase has started. Astral energies, the node in the sign, and Mercury, the supporter of your communication, will stimulate your mind and lead you to the essence of things. A new vision, a path of purification, a light that will make you grow, dream and build destinations rich in harmonies.

Love: you will have a deep vision of the behavioral dynamics around you. You will try to get rid of tensions and attitudes of addiction to the people you love. Through such awareness, you will make steady and constructive your relationship. 

Career: You will set limits and with assertiveness, you will manage your professional relationships and won’t allow your colleagues or bosses to take over. You will somehow impose your rights. With kindness, you will make other people respect you. “Each man confuses the limits of his sight with the limits of the world”, claimed Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher. 

Your Path is: ESTABLISHING PRECISE BOUNDARIES

During this phase, you need to get rid of what you don’t need. Don’t allow others to bring their burdens into your soul. To do so, you need to set limits that don’t have to be overcome by others’ needs. 



CANCER 

“The most powerful factors of distraction are emotions: everything that arouses strong feelings catches our attention” – Davide Goleman

Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, stated: “Be careful and you will be happy”. Carefulness leads the individual to find solutions and the keys to success. Focusing, we train our minds like athletes do when they challenge their potentialities going beyond the limits to achieve their goals. Focusing on goals helps find solutions and makes our life easier. Listening to our senses and our creativity, our abilities will increase, letting go of negative thoughts that limit our potentialities. With gratefulness, values, and virtue, individuals will find a way to solve and raise their spirit to personal growth. 

Dear Cancer friends, with Venus and Mars in the sign, you will have the chance to make significant changes in your life. Intense energies, taste for beauty, and right emotions will lead you to long-desired dreams. It will be necessary to have a clear vision of what you want and focus on your goal.

Love: by removing usual schemes and useless attitudes and forgiving past events, you will be able to identify the repetitive aspects of your relationship. Meditation is a good path. 

Career: Mars will give you energies. Make the best use of this phase. Through high concentration and a far-sighted vision, you will develop paths of great professional satisfaction. A new successful stage is starting. 

Your Path is: FOCUS 

Staying focus on your goals helps you understand the dynamics to follow in every aspect of your life. Not only does an unclear vision waste our time but it also makes us live situations that could be avoided. It is important to have clear ideas ut don’t get distracted by immediate needs. Through calm and focusing on your goal, you will head in the right direction and achieve the best results. 



LEO 

“When you wake up in the morning, remember that being alive is a privilege: breathing, thinking, loving” – Marco Aurelio.

Through a positive mind, it is possible to turn negative events into opportunities. According to Louise Hay, all our thoughts create reality. So, we need to reschedule our thoughts to have a more harmonic manifestation of reality closer to what we desire and in line with the energies around us. Have you ever heard about the law of attraction? We emanate thousands of thoughts during the day, and the negative ones often take over. It is necessary to believe firmly in what we desire to change the dynamics of what is wrong in our existence. In this way, cosmic energies will help us fulfill our dreams. 

Dear Leo friends, Saturn in Aquarius will put you in front of choices. Willpower will be necessary to achieve your goals. 

Love:  your partner needs a clear vision of what you desire. You have to satisfy the desires of those who love you to evolve your relationship. You will experience emotional growth. 

Career: you will be able to make your thoughts change course. You will be altruistic and understand others’ limits. Be essential and your autonomy will grow.

Your Path is: IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF YOUR THOUGHTS

 Feeling nervous about the problems to face won’t help you find the right solutions. A positive and proactive attitude is necessary to improve your life’s quality, firmly believing that there is a solution to everything. It is essential to observe everything from an optimistic point of view, trying to remove negative thoughts. 



VIRGO

“I consider those who overcome their desires braver than those who conquer their enemies because the hardest victory is the one against yourself” – Aristotle.

Observing things with the eyes of the soul puts us in contact with the world of energies that lead human beings to a reawakening, peace, serenity, and above all, a clear vision of the self.

In Greek culture, Dionysus is a divinity, the son of Zeus, Bacco for the Romans, connected with the plants’ lifeblood. This divinity is also connected to flourishing, abundance, vineyards, and wine. It is told that he fell for a young human boy. After a vision of the boy’s death, he decided to protect him from his mortal condition. But, for every human being, death comes. His vision became the truth: Dionysus found the boy’s corpse in a field. He started crying and leaned on his stick. From his tears, a plant grew, it started twisting around the plant, and fruit with the shape of his tears grew, the grape, symbol of hope and prosperity. This legend teaches us that from pain, a possibility can emerge. 

Dear Virgo friends, Neptune opposing your sign indicates a difficult path that will lead you to growth and a new dimension of life. Taking painful routes, you will reach your destinations and the fruits of what you desire. 

Love: through understanding and higher awareness, you will be able to give the right advice to those who love you. Instead of judgment, you will be sympathetic.

Career: you will be tired, you will have to manage people and complex situations. However, you will have the right boost to help and convey values to people you collaborate with. 

Your Path is: ELEVATION  

It is time to make a deeper evolution. Physical and material understanding is not enough. You need to go back to the essence of everything. In this way, you will have the chance to overcome your negative aspects and fulfill your reality properly and harmoniously. You will have new lifeblood to face every field of your existence in a new way, deeper, without fears, but with great understanding and awareness.



LIBRA 

“Those who teach their children respect for the environment and love for animals are building a better future” – Rinaldo Sidoli. 

In a song by Michael Jackson, “Earth song”, the singer explains that we have to understand the injuries we have caused to the Earth, listen to the screams in pain and do something to respect the environment, the seas we are destroying. It is necessary to understand that the Earth gives us its fruits, but we have to preserve and respect it. We have to turn our mistakes into quality. 

Dear Libra friends, you have to respect yourselves and understand that if you hurt yourself, you hurt the environment around you. The mind tricks you, intelligence and kindness will help you. 

Love: you can be live happily, removing negative thoughts that afflict you. Try to transform them through new awareness. Do not create a reality based on self-punishment. By changing energies, your daily life will bloom again. 

Career: with Saturn in Aquarius, excessive reasoning might prevent you from picking up the best fruits of this phase. Anticipating too much to avoid dangers might actually make you live pessimistically and it might block your professional initiatives. Face your daily life positively and try not to put off too much.

Your Path is: PRESERVING

It is often to find signs that say: “Do not pick up flowers, leave this place clean” If we create a harmonious relationship with our surroundings and respect the environment, we create harmony and feel in tune with universal energies. 



SCORPIO 

“It is the repetition of statements that leads the other to believe. And when belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen” – Muhammad Ali. 

According to Aristotle, persuasion is the art of leading people to take actions they usually would not take. In this way, society leads us to an idea, an opinion, a purchase. Those who are thirsty for knowledge, resist more to persuasive stimuli. 

Dear Scorpio friends, Uranus in Taurus will push you to make some changes. Be sweet and quiet when imposing your will, try to give as many explanations as possible. 

Love: strategies will not bring many results, but if you adopt an empathic attitude towards your partners, you can persuade them. Repete them that you need their support.

Career: you have to express your intentions clearly with your colleagues to persuade them, using a persuasive and sweet tone of voice. With Pluto in Capricorn, you will be able to handle any difficulty and turn the tables in your favor. 

Your Path is: PERSUADING

You need to lead others to reflect if they do not want to take part in unknown initiatives. Through convincing and sincere communication, you will be able to conquer sympathies. 



SAGITTARIUS 

“A heart that searches, feels that something was missing; a heart that lost, knows what it was deprived of ” – Goethe.

Concerning research, Plato states: “Those who love philosophy live pursuing their occupations, but always staying true to the philosophy that makes them intelligent”. A journey to seek the truth in our daily life to reach a destination that, like Aristotle said, has to be the greater good, not only for ourselves but also for the community. 

Dear Sagittarius friends, With Mercury and Gemini, your words will have much weight. It will be necessary to dose them with intelligence and search for the right ways to follow, being transparent with the other. In this way, you will avoid criticism and tensions.

Love:  the need to find new balances in your relationship will encourage you. You will be able to open yourself clearly and gently to those who love you. You will foster harmony, enhancing understanding and sharing. 

Career: your need for growth will be satisfied by the hunger for knowledge and your innate curiosity about following dangerous paths, but they will lead you to success. Reward other people’s ideas as well. 

Your Path is: SEARCHING 

It is in curiosity and research that people follow paths to find explanations and answers. We have discovered and understood the world since we were children. Don’t stop being curious, even though obstacles distract you, because life is a constant discovery. The impossible can become possible. 



CAPRICORN

“Everyone is looking for someone to blame,”- Tom Waits. 

Assign to everyone what he/she deserves wisely means recognizing the merit. Socrates was one of the first martyrs because of his ethics and morality. He was sentenced to death owing to his belief, but he conveyed many teachings that are still modern today for their depth. His works are unique. Nowadays, those who create content, a song, or whatever, are protected by law, through copyright, a necessary regulation due to the new technologies, the Internet, and social media. It clarifies someone’s property and is a form of respect for those who produce, create, write something. 

Dear Capricorn friends, Venus in opposition might increase your ego and lead you to boast too much about things that do not belong to you. A form of sadness and melancholy might lead you to make mistakes. To avoid it, the path is sincerity and clarity by giving everything the right value. 

Love: excessive confidence in yourself might lead you to unfair attitudes towards your partner. Always wonder yourself before acting: is it right? In this way, you will be aware of the fairness of your actions and you will be honest with yourself and others. 

Career: you have to understand what the priorities are and identify your limits. If you cannot fulfill a project, accept your limits. Give the right value to what you have to do. Maybe delegate your tasks to other people. 

Your Path is: ASSIGNING

Each person is unique. By respecting the individuals and the community we create a harmony that gives an interpretative vision of who created something. In short, recognize your problems and do not blame others. 



AQUARIUS 

“Purity and simplicity are the two wings with which the human being rises over earthly things” – Tommaso da Kempis.

Catharsis is a Greek word that describes the action of getting rid of conflicts and suffering through the re-elaboration of experienced traumas, like purification. Only through an understanding of the reasons why we suffer. A journey to our past can untie the knots and we can free ourselves from burdens that prevent us from being serene. Even contact with nature can help in this terms, being surrounded by the beauty of nature. If it is not possible, it is recommended to have plants in the environment where you live, they help focus, alleviate stress, and purify the air. 

Dear Aquarius friends, Saturn in the sign, will lead you to responsibility and practicality. You will need something new, a spiritual rebirth. You will be very careful about your choices and select people with who you share your daily life. 

Love: you will need to rebuild relationships. Some cycles ended, but the path is slow. The stars are on your side. If you are single, you will experience a phase rich in bright spots. Couples will find harmony.

Career: you will know what to do, but there will be challenges to face. You will be able to handle any situation with your innate sensitivity and grace. There will be pleasant news for the young people of the sign.

Your Path is: PURIFYING 

A path of mental cleansing is necessary. You accumulated heavy energies and thoughts, you faced situations without any help: that has not made your path easy. You should try techniques of breathing or meditation to enjoy positive energies. 



PISCES

“Intuition is the voice of angels and it should not be ignored. Listen to your intuitions, pay attention to your instinct, inspirations, ideas” – Neale Donald Walsh. 

According to Plato, intuition was the immediate knowledge and it allows to reach supreme truths. In a song by John Lennon, “Intuition”, the singer describes how it is possible to travel through intuition. The lyrics say: “Intuition takes me there/ Intuition takes me everywhere/ Well, my instincts are fine/ I had to learn to use them in order to survive”.It is an innate sense in human beings through which it is possible to predict and prevent events.

Dear Pisces friends, with Jupiter and Neptune in the sign, your skills will increase thanks to the stars. Jupiter, the planet of luck and success, will bring serenity and satisfaction, and Neptune will lead you to change your reality through imagination and creativity. 

Love: you will overcome your anxieties through instinct and curiosity that will protect you by anticipating events. Some doubts might delay this process, but you will set out for an amazing period of inspiration. 

Career: a sort of geniality will inspire you, you will intuit how to relate with your colleagues, you will influence professional events. However, emotions will prevail over rationality. This is a great phase for investments.

Your Path is: INTUITION 

Understanding in advance how to move is a priority of this phase. A unique instinct will accompany you. Use the first instinct, without thinking too much, otherwise, you will risk making mistakes. 

Skin 689: essential beauty for the contemporary gentleman

Manintown meets Max von Troschke, Managing Partner of skin689 (skincare luxury products made in Switzerland).

Max von Troschke is an entrepreneur in the luxury beauty and skincare routine’s field. A maximum expert to achieve eternal youth. When it comes to resolve problems for having a toned skin, he’s the voice to listen to. Man in Town met him and asked him some QS about the perfect and essential beauty routine for men.



Skin and beauty. What are the latest trends for radiant skin for a man?

Consumers are demanding in regard to performance – and knowledgeable in regard to ingredients. Among other things we see a continued trend towards performance with proven efficacy and active ingredients from medical research.




As a beauty expert, what does your product range offer to your clients in order to improve how they look? in other words, your brand philosophy.

We are all about firm skin and defined contours for the body. With innovative ingredients and proven efficacy.


Do’s and don’ts for men in the field of beauty treatment. Help our readers not to get lost in the welter of products on the market and recommend an effective essential routine.

As often less is more. Most treatments are only effective when done regularly. So when you cannot add it to your routine don’t even start. And look for proven efficacy.




Tell us about your new 2021 products.

We just launch a new crème for tummy and hips – with dual power against fat cells.

How was skin689 born? I guess constant training is necessary. What fascinates you about this world day after day? 

We started off with a revolutionary active ingredient. This was discovered in medical research. In clinical studies we proved its effects on elasticity (collagen fibres) and fat cells – and brought it to cosmetics. At skin689 we are thrilled to bring true innovation to the market. 

Your brand’s next goals. 

We remain focused on the body, with cosmeceutical products that really work. For that, we keep researching and scouting for new ingredients to further boost the efficacy of our products.



A window overlooking Rome, the Eternal City

Imagine waking up in the morning, opening the windows, and glimpsing the majesty of Rome, the Eternal City that is ready to welcome you.

A few minutes from Terme di Diocleziano and Villa Borghese, Marcella Royal Hotel welcomes you in an oasis of peace in the beating heart of the city. The elegance and warmth of the hall combine with modern rooms, from the most luxurious to the classic one, without neglecting the care for the guests. 



The crown jewel, recently renovated, is without a doubt “Terrazza Flavia” from where it is possible to admire the breathtaking view from the city of Rome to Castelli Romani, From St. Peter’s Dome to Monte Mario and beyond. What better way to start your day tasting an Italian and American breakfast with a breathtaking view? 

The Roof Garden “Flavia” welcomes you also for an aperitif, a dinner accompanied by music, or even a business meeting (that must go well with such a view!)



This authentic jewel of the capital owes its beauty and name to Marcella Angelini, a hotel owner for over 50 years who represents the archetype of our country’s hotel culture: meticulous attention to cleanliness and the guest in the spotlight. 

Style, elegance, attention to detail, choice of prestigious materials and luxury finishes have always belonged to Mrs. Marcella.

Travel with Manintown curated by Francesca Riggio

Tahar Rahim: a major talent of French cinema

COVER IMAGE: COPYRIGHT ARNO LAM/CHARLETTE STUDIO

PRESS AGENT: AGENCE CONTACT PARIS

Tahar Rahim is a French actor of Algerian origin. He is living a golden moment in his artistic career. He was recently nominated by the international press for a Golden Globe for his role in “The Mauritian”, a true story taken from the book “Guantanámo Diary”. He played in the movie with Jodie Foster. So he told us the emotion of being on set with an Oscar & Golden Globe winner. The film will be soon released also in Italy. On Netflix, he is at the top with “The Serpent”, a miniseries that talks about the daring adventures of Charles Sobhraj, a serial killer who operated in the ’70s in the golden triangle of drugs and crossroads of hippies.

His transformation to put himself in the shoes of the character is amazing and outstanding. 

How do you feel about being nominated for the Golden Globe as the best actor for “The Mauritian”, a movie with Jodie Foster?

Well, I am over the moon, it is incredible. If you are an actor of my generation and you grew up with her movies, it is almost a dream. I have vivid memories from when I went to the cinema to watch “Contact” or “The silence of the lambs”. She is a legend. I don’t deny that I was almost scared the first time I was in front of her. However, Jodie can make you feel so at ease and relaxed that you almost forget who she is. 



“The Mauritian” has not come out in Italy yet. Why do you suggest watching this movie? 

It is a very important story that needs to be told because it talks about freedom, harsh laws, and humanity. It is the story of a man imprisoned in Guantanámo Bay for 14 long years without even a charge against him. Mohamedou Ould Slah had been through a living hell in jail. When he got out of prison, he wanted to forgive everyone: that means achieving a level of forgiveness that goes beyond any imagination, a real demonstration of a pure and beautiful soul. 



How did you learn English? It is impeccable and without a French accent. 

The truth? I had to work very hard. I have always loved English since I was a child, but when they offered me the role of Ali Soufan in “The Looming Tower”, I knew I had to interpret an American citizen, so I knew I should make no mistakes, even small ones that would not convince the producers or the public. 

So, I practiced with a coach for four hours a day for three months. When I started shooting in New York, I requested a coach on set to be always 100% sure. Even now I have two lessons per week. 

Oliver Stone dedicated a post on Instagram to you and he pointed the finger at the Academy Awards for mentioning not even a category of your movie for the Oscars, meaning that probably it would not have been good publicity for the USA. 

Honestly, when I was told it, I could not believe that Mr. Stone had done a post about me and the movie. Of course, we can’t say that American cinema is not able to criticize its society, this is Oliver Stone’s vision. I am just finding out how things go in the USA. 

Did you already know the story of “The Serpent” before playing the lead role of the Netflix miniseries? It was not very well-known in Italy, probably because it is French. 

I knew it but not because it is French, none of my friends remembered it. But since I have two elder brothers, I found the book about the story of Charles Sobhraj in the bedroom and I was fascinated by the synopsis. I was 16 years old and I already wanted to be an actor. But at that time, I could not understand the real horror behind that man, yet I imagined playing that role. When I discovered that Benicio Del Toro was about to start the film shooting in 2001, I was disappointed, but then they did not do it anymore. Exactly 20 years later, I got an email from my agent saying that I would play the role of a serial killer and then I realized it was him. Life is incredible. It’s almost as if fate gave me this role. 



Do you think when cinemas reopen in France, people will buy tickets like before or will stay true to the streaming? 

There will be a good season since we are getting closer to summer and probably people want to stay outside, but if I can say it, we humans tend to forget things. When this is over, we will just want to go back to normal life, like going to the cinema. 

Curated by Francesca Romana Riggio

Chef in Town: The recipe of the original American cheesecake

The New York cheesecake is one of the most loved cold desserts. It is made with a base of butter biscuits and a filling of cream with fresh cheese. It can be decorated and embellished with different ingredients such as berries – for the classic version – but also chocolate, caramel, grain, coconut flour, and much more. 

How to make the original American cheesecake: the recipe 

Ingredients: 

  • 300g of Digestive biscuits
  • 150g of melted butter
  • 500g of cream cheese 
  • 100g of sugar
  • one egg
  • 150g of low-fat yogurt without sugar
  • 150g of fresh cream 
  • one spoon of lemon juice
  • vanilla extract

For the frosting: 

  • 180g of fresh berries
  • 3 spoons of sugar

Making the American cheesecake

Firstly, you have to make the base of the cheesecake. All you need are Digestive biscuits and melted butter. Optionally, you can even use shortbread biscuits. The procedure to follow is very simple: after crumbling the biscuits, mix them with melted butter in a bowl. The mixture obtained must be soft and compact. Once it reaches the right consistency, you can proceed and spread it over a springform tin, covering both the bottom and the edge. 

How to make the cream 

To make the sour cream, pour fresh cream, yogurt, and well-filtered lemon juice into another bowl and mix everything. 

In another container, mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Then, add one egg and mix again. When the mixture gets creamy, add 170g of sour cream (keep aside the rest). After mixing the two creams, spread them with a paddle over the base of crumbled biscuits. 

How to cook the cake

Place the cake in a static and preheated oven at 165 degrees and cook it for one hour. Once you take it out of the oven, pour 3 spoons of leftover sour cream on the surface and put the cake in the fridge. After about 3 hours, do that procedure again and pour the rest of the sour cream on the cooled layer. At this point, the cake needs to cool for 10 hours in the fridge. 

How to decorate 

If you want to follow the traditional recipe to the letter, decorate the cake with berries frosting. To make it, you have to put berries with sugar on the fire and heat them for about 5 minutes. Then, blend them and sift the frosting to separate the seeds from the mixture. When the frosting gets cold in the fridge, you can spread it on the surface of the cheesecake and decorate it with fresh wild berries and strawberries. 

However, the decoration is the most creative part, so you can go wild with your favorite tastes and personalize your cheesecake. 

How to keep it

Keep the American cheesecake in the fridge for 3-5 days, but you can also freeze it. In this case, avoid putting the frosting and decorate the cake only when you serve it: in this way, you will keep its freshness. 



Chef in Town- a food and beverage column curated by

Intl Editor Francesca Romana Riggio

Springtime in New York – a sign of rebirth

Crowded restaurants and parks, bars and coffee shops full of people, musicians playing outside, in the streets. If it weren’t for the masks, which are still mandatory to wear even outdoors, walking around Soho on any weekend of April, it would be difficult to believe we still are in the middle of a pandemic. 

 In New York, a fresh wind has been blowing for the past few weeks. Thanks to the impressive vaccination plan, around 40% of New Yorkers have already received at least one dose of vaccine. 

The restaurants are full of people, while they serve mainly outside like the new formula adopted in Europe: a novelty introduced last spring as an experiment, then extended to the whole winter, despite the frigid temperatures that characterize the Big Apple during cold months. It was eventually confirmed indefinitely by NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio. 



Today NYC restaurant owners, who resisted the months of the lockdown, are ready to take their revenge. They can offset the reduction of the internal capacity with large external structures that have nothing to envy to the typical ones in the main European squares, for lunch and dinner “en plen air”. 

And so, in this New York spring 2021, one of the most affected sectors during the pandemic is now becoming the most evident and concrete sign of restart post-Covid. 



Even the real estate business hints that a turning point seems to be close. As confirmed by Andrea Pedicini, a real estate broker who has been living in New York for over eleven years: “In the first quarter of the year, in Manhattan 3,700 new sale contracts were signed, this has been the highest number since 2007, growing by 58% compared to the same quarter in 2020.” The combined effect of three factors has been impactful, “Prices are on average 10-15% lower, interest rates are low, there is a spread optimism that derives from a concrete and efficient vaccination plan”, he explained. 

Data related to the rental market are also positive, with an increase of 90% of new leases registered in March compared to the same month in 2020: a growth consistent with what already happened back in early 2021 between January and February. “It is the most evident sign that people are coming back to the city, attracted by convenient rents, with prices falling by 15-20% compared to before the pandemic”. 



These data challenge the thesis of the detractors of New York, who claimed that the emptying of the city recorded during the lockdown would be definitive. Moreover, at the moment only 10% of the employees who used to crowd the city from Monday to Friday have gone back to the office, and international tourists are absent because of the closing of borders still in force. 

In this context, despite the temporary impossibility to move there, even Italian investors’ interest in Manhattan and its surroundings is growing. “Since last summer, our compatriots’ interest in the real estate business in New York has increased significantly, as often happens in these circumstances”, said Pedicini, whose clients are mainly from Italy and are entrepreneurs, managers, but also actors and professional athletes. 

“Some people are just waiting for the borders to reopen and, in the meantime, they request to be kept updated about market trends. Others have invested remotely from Italy without even seeing face-to-face the acquired property.”



And so, within sight of the total reopening expected on July 1st, New York seems to be ready to welcome tourists with open arms, considering also the impressive budget approved by the New York Tourist Board, which has assigned the record amount of 30 million dollars for the “NYC Reawaken” campaign whose slogan is “Wish You Were Here in New York City”. 

Photo Credits: Federica Carlet

Chef in Town: how to make the true Italian bruschetta

Bruschetta is a typical Italian food to serve as an aperitif or a “meal-on-a-plate”, made with different condiments. Even though it is simple and everyone can make it, there are rules to follow even in its preparation. It is a simple but delicious dish that can adapt to any taste and need.



To make the true Italian bruschetta worthy of a starred chef, follow these three basic rules and then unleash your imagination and creativity. 

1 Choose the right bread

The choice of bread for bruschetta is not to underestimate. It is better not to use sandwich bread or pre-packed sliced bread made of different types of flour. Pita bread, panini made with milk, “rosette” and “michette” are also not suitable for bruschetta. A loaf of bread with a compact and spongy crumb and a fragrant crust, like the homemade one, is perfect for your bruschetta. 

2 The perfect toasting

Bruschetta bread is usually toasted on the grill, but you can also toast it in the oven or in a non-stick pan. The secret lies in the thickness of the bread slices. They don’t have to be too thin to prevent the crumb from falling because of the condiment above. Heat the bread for about 2 minutes on each side so that the crust gets golden brown. 

3 The seasoning 

The cook’s creativity comes here into play. With only a little olive oil, salt, and garlic, you can taste delicious bruschettas, but the seasonings can find endless combinations. They vary from traditional bruschettas with cherry tomatoes and basil to bruschettas with olive pate, mushrooms, artichokes. If you love spicy cold cuts, a very tasty alternative is the Calabrese ‘nduja, whose consistency fits perfectly with toasted bread. However, you can even move from the local tradition and season your bruschetta with hummus or baba ganoush for an unusual but winning mix of flavors.



The advice is to eat warm bruschettas. A good option is to prepare the condiments earlier so that your guests can choose how to enrich their slices. Success is guaranteed! 

Chef in Town- a food and beverage column curated by

Intl Editor Francesca Romana Riggio