Maria Lisella

You might not link “passion” with the cool island of Ireland, or maybe you think Ireland’s sixth record-breaking year for tourism is based on the “Luck of the Irish,” but Tourism Ireland executives have left nothing to chance. They know exactly how to press, promote and market the passion points that have led to the country’s blockbuster tourism arrivals.
The current “Fill Your Heart with Ireland” campaign was designed to reach emotional passion points by presenting a series of moments that a...

Since she took office five years ago, Brewer has passed legislation to add caregivers to the city’s anti-discrimination law, remove criminal history questions from initial employment applications (the Fair Chance Act) and enforced the requirement for street numbers to appear on buildings in Manhattan (to better aid emergency workers).
Yesterday the Vito Marcantonio Forum presented the 5th Annual Vito Marcantonio Awards to the 27th Manhattan Borough President, Gale Brewer at a luncheon. At the...

NEW YORK – Be prepared to fall in love with Leonard Cohen (19342016) at the monumental exhibit Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum, entirely devoted to the legacy of the singer/ songwriter and global icon from Montreal.
The exhibit occupies two floors and part of the third – more space than ever dedicated to one exhibit – of the French Gothic Revival-style Warburg Mansion on Fifth Avenue that houses the Jewish Museum, on view from April 12 through September 8.
Not a fan?...

A black and white photo of wisteria draping the courtyard walls welcomes visitors to the Frick’s current exhibit, Tiepolo in Milan: The Lost Frescoes of Palazzo Archinto, on view April 16 through July 14, 2019.

That wisteria survived the Allied bombing that took place August 13-16th, 1943, that tragically destroyed the Palazzo Archinto in Milan along with the magnificent Giambattista Tiepolo’s series of ceiling frescoes painted in 1730–31, his first significant project outside of Venice. Duri...

Claudia Gould, director of the Jewish Museum: “This is an exhibit that is cross-generational, about a life not a beginning and not an end ...”

Be prepared to fall in love with Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) at the monumental exhibit Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum entirely devoted to the legacy of the singer/songwriter, and global icon from Montreal, Canada.

The exhibit occupies two floors and part of the third — more space than ever dedicated to one exhibit — of the Fren...

Coveted Michelin stars have been awarded to two Croatian restaurants, effectively boosting the country’s reputation as a top gourmet destination.
The Croatian restaurants that each received a Michelin star are the Noel (in Zagreb) and Draga di Lovrana (in Lovran). In addition, Pelegrini (in Šibenik), 360º (in Dubrovnik), and Monte (in Rovinj) have successfully retained their Michelin status in 2019.
“This selection shows the potential of the Croatian gastronomic scene, enriched by numerous in...

The Berlin Wall fell on Nov. 9, 1989, marking the end of the massive border complex that left the city divided into east and west for 28 years and had a devastating history of tearing apart families, friends and neighbors.
Today, Berlin is among the hottest cities in Europe, where Americans are spending almost three nights per visit — comprising 8.2 percent of the city’s tourism marketshare, with traffic from the U.S. up by 2.2 percent over last year. Berlin Wall monuments and artistic expres...

Rome’s Colosseum topped the world’s most popular tourist attractions in 2018 according to Trip Advisor, and Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum archaeological park, reported that Rome's Colosseum had already attracted 7.4 million visitors in 2018, an increase of 5.7 per cent compared to last year.
Russo was presenting the Colosseum’s new logo and interactive website. She said that "accessibility is a priority" for the park which, in addition to the Colosseum, includes the Roman Forum, ...

From May 8th to 19th NYCxDESIGN brings to New York City all forms of design with 300 events popping up in surprising venues of all five boroughs. The event showcases talent and creativity of an important sector of the city economy (Leggi in italiano)
If you’re looking for a great new way to see the Big Apple, jump on the NYCxDESIGN website and follow your passions as New York City’s annual citywide celebration of design kicks off today Friday, May 8, and runs to Tuesday, May 19.
By showcasing...

Known for its eclectic selection of 500 properties in more than 80 countries, Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) has added five city-center sanctuaries, for discriminating clients looking for far more than cookie-cutter hotel stays.
Australia’s The Dudley Boutique Hotel has seven rooms, starting at $327 per night. The property is set in the spa village of Hepburn Springs in a restored country-style retreat. Rooms sport luxurious linens, king-sized beds and spa beds, making it ideal for active vacation...

Headlines of economic woes and political unrest no longer throw the fear of God into travelers, especially if the destinations are compelling and timeless. Americans, in particular, have shown themselves to be resilient travelers.

Witness the rise in visitor arrivals in Greece, which is now in the throes of its eighth record-breaking year (see Travel Market Report, Aug. 8, 2018), while tourism in nearby Turkey rose by just over 50 percent in the first quarter of 2018 for a total of 7,263,807 ...

Thieves in the Family by Maria Lisella published by New York Quarterly Books is a good end of summer read for lovers of poetry. The broad range of themes presented in everyday language gives a sense of deep understanding of relationships between nature, humans and the overall the culture we live in.
An example of nature and how one reacts is the last poem of this soft cover volume, My Rain, which creates an ending to the lushness of the warmer months and how one can interpret something as com...

Greece has enjoyed record runs of tourism for eight years and tourism professionals expect the country will welcome just as many, if not more, visitors this year.
Despite the wildfires that recently raged east of Athens in Mati and spread to other areas such as Penteli, Viotza, Rafina, and Agios Andreas, the country is on a course for another record-busting year, with 2017 bringing in 10.3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of €194.6 billion, which is $20.22 billion.
Accord...

The more things change, the more they stay the same, goes an old epigram and sometimes that’s just what you want: the same thing only better.

And that includes adding a restaurant and an 11th floor to the Hotel Mediterraneo that already boasts being the tallest hotel in the Eternal City.

Built originally for the 1942 World’s Fair on Esquilino Hill, the Mediterraneo’s 10th floor rooftop bar has up to now been an enviable draw. The hotel is frequently featured in fashion shoots and most recentl...

Make no mistake, New York State’s recent record-breaking visitor counts have raised the bar, as have this year’s crop of new resorts, hotels and inns.
New York State Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “We’re making substantial and targeted investments in tourism because it’s New York State’s fourth largest industry and the historic levels of visitation we’re experiencing are creating a record-high economic impact of $105 billion.”
In 2016, New York State welcomed a record 239 mi...