Italy Travel News 08/30/2010

Okay, that title is clearly designed to draw you in, and it works – but there isn't someone out killing mushroom hunters. It's that mushroom hunters have gotten either careless or are trying to be too stealthy for their own good (or a combination of both), which has resulted in 17 people dying over the course of 9 days as they foraged for mushrooms in Italy. (via @vagabondish & @SEASunDodger on Twitter)

If you haven't yet won a copy of "100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go" in one of the various giveaways that have been going on, pal Michelle has another giveaway for the book (and 3 other Italy titles) going on right now.

The Eye On Italy podcast has been on a bit of a vacation the last few weeks (perhaps you noticed?), but Sara & I recorded a quick update podcast last week to let you know why we've been off the air – and what we've got coming up for you.

You may already know my fondness for WordReference.com for all kinds of Italian translation stuff (they have other languages, too), but the site also has forums – and this particular thread is fantabulous in that it's full of all kinds of OTHER links to useful language resources. It's a resource of resources. Who doesn't love that?

Europe's first guide to beer, according to the website, comes from Italy – a country more known for its wine and coffee. It's only in Italian, but if you're an Italophile who loves beer this might be the guide for you.

There's handy information here if you have any kinds of food allergies (including some Italian phrases to say you're lactose intolerant, among other things) and it's applicable whether you're in Tuscany or elsewhere in Italy.

My friend Michelle has a little "tour of Italy" going on over at her site, and in this post it's all about a city I still have yet to visit – Assisi!

Eataly has opened in New York. This fact, plus the super-cheap flights to Italy from New York area airports, means I am now more envious than ever of people who live in New York. (via @Scordo on Twitter)

Oh, Sartorialist. How we love you for your ability to get normal people to pose for pictures and look like freaking models. Here's your average working man in Florence, Italy. (via @michellefabio on Twitter)

And if that wasn't enough for you, here the Sartorialist has captured on film a commuter in Milan. He makes both the suit and the old bicycle look oh-so-good.