31st July 2010

Campinglife presenter Jan van den Bossche, VTM BelgiumA team from the Belgian TV company VTM arrived in Livorno yesterday to film for their travel series Campinglife. The presenter of the programme, Jan van den Bossche, was accompanied by director Martin, producer Julie, researcher Leen, cameraman Philippe, and sound engineer Martin, as he explored Livorno. I had the pleasure of showing them around some of my favourite spots.

Costumes & Accessories at the Costumeria Panciatici13th February 2010 We are coming up to the height of the Carnival period, with Martedì Grasso (Shrove Tuesday) on the 16th February this year. If you are thinking of dressing up and heading off to a special carnival party or even to Venice, the Livorno-based  Costumeria Panciatici can help you out.

Tucked away on the first floor of a palazzo in Via Magenta, the Costumeria Panciatici is a family-run costume hire business that has been going for more than 30 years.

Livorno Tuaca plant in Via Cimarosa, being closed down today: 31st March 2010Tuaca shake up causes little stir in Livorno

Today, 31st March 2010, marks the definitive closure of Livorno’s  historic Tuaca plant – Distillerie Tuoni e Canepa  - in Via Cimarosa, as well as the loss of jobs for 12 full-time Livornese employees.  It is the end of an era for a company founded in Livorno in 1938 by Alfredo Neri for his two sons-in-law, Gaetano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa.  But not many people seem to be aware of this.

Andrea Pellegrini plays for Agorà, Sunday 6th June 2010: Photo by Stanley ChenPellegrini brothers help celebrate 20 Years of Language Courses and Services

This year, 2010, is the 20th birthday of one of Livorno's best-known language schools, Centro Linguistico Agorà. To celebrate, owner Lisa Ceccherini threw a party last Sunday for all the school's friends, teachers and students, from past and present. The Bottega del Caffé in Piazza del Logo Pio was an ideal setting for the big gathering which brought together a colourful international crowd.

Entertainment was provided by three great musicians - pianist Andrea Pellegrini, with his brother Nino Pellegrini (double bass), and Filippo Todaro (drums) all well-established names on the jazz scene in Italy. They also all teach music at the Bonamici Music School in Pisa. Twenty years ago they made their first ever public appearance at the Agorà school, on its opening night! So it was appropriate that they should play again on the school's anniversary.

Left to right: Captain Jonathon Mercer, Angelica Tattanelli, and Sergio Senesi: Eurodam makes its first call to the Port of Livorno30 April 2010 Cruise line Holland America's MS Eurodam made its first call to the Port of Livorno today. As is traditional on these occasions, the local authorities went on board to welcome the Captain and his crew, to exchange plaques and to express full cooperation on this and future visits.

View of the Old English Cemetery in Via Verdi, LivornoA powerful research document about Livorno's rich past

For ten years now Matteo Giunti, lover and part-time scholar of Livornese history, has been putting together an archive of material regarding merchants in Livorno. In fact, on several occasions he has kindly and very quickly supplied me with information regarding people from Livorno's past, allowing me to answer emails that I receive from people tracing the histories of families linked in some way with Livorno, or Leghorn, families such as the Gowers, for example.