Casa Belvedere
On the North Shore of Staten Island sits Casa Belvedere, an opulent mansion built in 1908. It passed through many hands before Staten Island residents Gina Biancardi-Rammairone and Luciano Rammairone purchased it in 2008, with the dream of converting it into an arts and cultural center celebrating Staten Island’s Italian-American heritage. The center boasts nearly three acres of lavish grounds and was declared a New York City Landmark in 2001 as the Louis A. and Laura Stirn House. Perched atop Grymes Hill, Casa Belvedere offers visitors a spectacular view of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the New York City Harbor.
No trip to Italy would be complete without eating the food, or learning a little bit of the language. Casa Belvedere offers classes in both, for adults and kids 8 and up. Upcoming classes include Easter Holiday Baking, where you’ll learn the finer points of pizza dough, cassata (a traditional Sicilian treat), and easter bread. Or Secrets to a Gluten-Free Feast, where you’ll learn several diet-friendly recipes for soup, polenta, and risotto.
Language classes range from basic to advanced. You can see the full class schedule here.
Casa Belvedere details
There are dozens of events throughout the year. Past events have included the Fig Feast; the Motori D’Italia, an exotic Italian car and motorcycle show; and Cinema Sotto Le Stelle (“Cinema Under the Stars”), a celebration of Italian film. Casa Belvedere is located at 79 Howard Avenue, Grymes Hill, Staten Island, New York.
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