Modica is one of the most beautiful towns in all of Sicily Nestled inside a valley made up of four hills a 1693 earthquake transformed this medieval town into a town lined with baroque facades There's also a sweet side to Modica with a very famous product made here: Modica chocolate that is unlike any other chocolate you have ever tried Afterwards we also visit a cheese factory whose owner has taken on the supermarket giants and won with his incredible fresh We are busy marvelling at the beauty of the buildings in Modica before Carm our guide at Sicilian Food Tours ushers into the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto "You can take photos later," she says moving us into the chocolate factory It is cold pressed and retains much of the nutrition of cacao beans but this cold press or grinding also means that the chocolate is slightly gritty in texture Think the opposite of a super smooth milk chocolate Our guide at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto hands around samples of their summer iced chocolate It's deliciously rich and quite creamy despite containing no dairy and being vegan Antica Antica Dolceria Bonajuto opened in 2018 and sells bean to bar chocolate They have 8 types of cocoa beans from Mexico They explain that only 3% of an entire cacao plantation produces cocoa pods in shades of green After splitting the cacao pod open they use a guillotine tool to grade the cocoa beans Despite the name of the tool there is no beheading or cutting the beans roasted and winnowed resulting in a cocoa mass It is then milled for 22-24 hours and then placed in a tempering machine at 28-45C/82-113F Afterwards it is placed in the metal and polycarbonate molds that are then shaken and then placed in a special chocolate fridge for 12 hours to set Afterwards they give us a gift box with a range of samples of their chocolates including orange vanilla as well as samples of their nougat as well as one very special Modica snack: a 'Mpanatigghie di Modica This half moon shaped paastry is filled with beef and chocolate it was the nuns of a Modica convent in the 16th century who came up with the idea of making biscuits filled with meat to give priests enough energy during Lent while continuing their prayers It is also quite likely it was inspired by the Spanish who occupied Sicily for 500 years as it resembles an empanada 'Mpanatigghie was also called a travelling biscuit with the cocoa acting as a preservative These biscuits have a shelf life of around a month and can be kept at room temperature We also try samples of their chocolate liquor Afterwards we head next door to their chocolate shop where they offer us samples of their chocolate The grittiness of their chocolate is very fine like small crystals of sugar that have not melted and the boxes make for beautiful gifts too For the best views of Modica head up straight up the exactly 250 steps to The Cathedral of Chiesa di San Giorgio It's a climb well worth making as the views are spectacular and endless Entry to the cathedral is free and for an extra €2 you can climb the bell tower or just enjoy the view of the city below from the church Its elevated level means that it is quieter and you don't get the hustle and bustle of the car lined streets below The other half of the group takes the train ride but if you want to get photos I would not recommend the 45 minute train ride because the train does not slow down to let you take photos After this we head for a lunch of cheese at Azienda Bussello This dairy farm is located 600 metres above sea level and is surrounded by 12 towns 58 year old Marcello Cannata owns Azienda Bussello and he gives us a history of how the dairy business was started he received 10 cows and a tractor from his father This follows a tradition where his grandfather gave his father 2 cows and a horse At the farm today he has Holstein Friesian cows but previously he had Modicana cows By 2008 he was selling his milk and cheese to 130 stores with his 10-50 cows He was also purchasing milk from nearby farms When milk prices were low he would make cheese and when milk prices were high he would sell milk Then supermarkets started to reduce the margins paid to farmers Marcello likes a challenge so he banded together with nearby olive meat and cheese farmers and they created the first farmers market in Modica All 20 producers made just €10 on that first day they were permitted to move the market to a better location and customers flocked to the market for his hot ricotta People would arrive with buckets and pay for their ricotta and return two hours later for their bucket of hot ricotta unadorned with oil or herbs with bread for a simple Marcello now focuses on markets and no longer supplies to the supermarkets He preferred to make money on the spot rather than waiting for 30 60 or 90 days to be paid by the supermarkets He now has two 7 metre/23 foot food truck that sells 100 items from cheeses as well as his own fresh pork sausages as well as products from the bakery that he owns like biscuits And he also now makes €10 a minute at markets We head to the cheese factory where they are busy making cheese. They add rennet to curdle the milk to make mozzarella and with the leftover whey they make ricotta. Remember those olive pellets from yesterday He uses them to heat the whey to make ricotta He heats the milk up to 36C/96F and after 1 hour he cuts the milk and drains the whey from which he will make ricotta The cheese in the bottom of the barrel will be made into caciocavallo cheese This Sicilian caciocavallo cheese is given its name as it is shaped into teardrops or bricks and hung on a string in pairs resembling a horse saddle We get to shape some cheese and try the cheese at an early stage before they are salted and matured Caciocavallo is now called Ragusana DOP and Marcello sells cheese aged up to 100 months or 9 years We follow him out to the garden where we pick fresh lettuces for lunch and follow him back inside to where a table is set up with a feast of food olives and caponata as well as bread from his bakery This is followed by plates of cavatelli pasta with sugo or tomato based sauce and chunks of pork meat from his pigs and wine Every 15 minutes or so Marcello raises his glass for a "Salute!" Also on the table there's large terracotta pots of the hot ricotta We spoon some of it onto the bread and take a bite It has the exact texture of Japanese chawanmushi with a milky flavour It's remarkable and not grainy in the slightest just giving a luscious creamy mouthful every single time That afternoon we have a four hour break as people get ready to pack their bags and say goodbye to Scoglitti and food tour We are all headed in different directions and Mr NQN and I are off to do a road trip of Sicily of areas like Taormina and Palermo as well as the small but beautiful town of Marzamemi We meet for one last time for cocktails and dinner at Dolcidea in the centre of Scoglitti This cafe and restaurant is what Carm calls "homebase" as it is owned by her cousins and is where you can go for breakfast or coffee if you want something outside of the hotel Dinner tonight starts with an antipasti platter made up of pani cunzatu (sun dried tomato sandwiches) I wedge some prosciutto and salad in the pani cunzato and enjoy each mouthful Then Carm has organised for a cavatelli with sugo sauce for our pasta main which is absolutely delicious This comes out with a big platter of meatballs and pork ribs in sugo The ribs fall off the bone while the meatballs are full of flavour they've made us a special pistachio cake to celebrate the end of the Sicilian food tour We enjoy slices of this cake with cocktails It's a fitting sweet ending to this fantastic food tour of Sicily NQN and Mr NQN travelled to Europe as guests of Vietnam Airlines and NQN was a guest of Sicilian Food Tours but all opinions remain her own To book the Sicilian Food Tour follow this link If you use the code NQN when booking (please write it in the date field) then you’ll get a bottle of Cerasuolo Wine from Vittoria This cherry red wine variety is a blend of Sicily’s famous Nero D’Avola & Frappato worth $80AUD Vietnam Airlines offers 23 flights per week connecting Sydney Melbourne and Perth to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Vietnam Airlines is continuing to add new routes having recently announced new flights to Milan https://www.vietnamairlines.com/au/en/home Home / Nikko Modica | Faces of Midland Even a Nebraska snowstorm couldn’t deter Nikko Modica’s decision to attend Midland University Seeing mass quantities of snow in the ground isn’t commonplace in Nikko’s hometown of Houston so when the senior arrived for his campus visit a blizzard might have been enough to scare him away “It had been close to a decade since I had seen snow and I was looking forward to being in it; I just wasn’t aware of how much snow we could get up here but I loved it here so much that I came anyway.” There were two factors that influenced Nikko’s decision to attend college more than 13 hours from home – the Walker School of Education and the Midland football team “I had been recruited by several schools in the GPAC but I really liked Coach (Jeff) Jamrog and the other coaches and some of the other players I was on the visit with decided to come here as well “The education department really stood out to me She has been great to work with and really sold me on coming here.” Nikko is currently student-teaching at Fremont High School in the Physical Education Department. A K-12 Education major Nikko will have an opportunity to work with elementary students later this semester at Bell Elementary in Fremont “It’s going to be a big change going from high school to elementary I know the enthusiasm for PE will be higher for elementary students but I feel like I can relate to high school students a little better.” his ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist He has already been accepted into one graduate school for the fall and is interviewing with two others “I took an Intro to Special Education class my sophomore year and it really opened my eyes to what I could do as a school psychologist and you don’t get to have that one-on-one time with students I had high school teachers who made an impact in my life and I want to be able to do the same for future students Building those relationships and seeing those students develop is the biggest part for me.” He’s grateful for the relationships he has developed during his time at Midland especially with his teammates over the past four seasons I know my friends back home laugh at me when I say I could spend the rest of my life in this area but I really could see myself staying here I’m glad that I came to Midland and am thankful for all the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had I’m grateful for everything that brought me here.” Nikko Modica is a senior K-12 Education major from Houston Hoping to Share his Experience with Others | Through his work with an agency in […] Read More Making the Midwest a Home | Growing up in England, it’s understandable that Jaya Soor […] Read More An Athlete and So Much More | Midland University provided Myana Sigers the opportunity to […] Read More Feeling at Home | Casey Upton has never questioned his decision to attend Midland University, […] Read More Net Gains As someone who has played tennis since he was five years old, Joren […] Read More Ready to Help Others | A desire to help others was instilled in Yenifer Umana […] Read More Midland University900 N Clarkson St Fremont, NE 68025(800) 642-8382 Midland University Omaha11213 Davenport St #100 Omaha, NE 68154 (402) 941-6226 This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website and you agree to our Privacy Policy Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application LA to the late Jerome Modica and Elenora D'Angelo Modica Sister to Ignatius Modica and the late Laura Modica Harry She was the loving wife of Roger Benoit Roper and beloved mother of Melissa Roper Fay (Jared her favorite son-in-law) of Denham Springs Loving grandmother of Grace Elenor Fay and Kane Benoit Fay Virginia spent her life and time taking care of her family and spoiling her grandchildren.  The family would like to thank the staff of Foundations Hospice for their care A private memorial will be held on January 3 2025 at 9:00am at McKneely & Son Funeral Home Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home and Crematory-Hammond Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Human Being grew out of a study on a group of over one hundred skeletons secretly buried a century ago on the grounds of the Colorado Mental Health Institute by prison inmates who were breaking ground to build the extension of an asylum for the criminally insane.  “Photographs for this exhibit were generously loaned by the Denver Art Museum to the Center for Bioethics and Humanities,” said curator Simon Zalkind “We hope that this exhibit will encourage a conversation about historical and aesthetic dimensions of the photograph as evidence and elegy within the context of Modica’s ‘Human Being’ – a tragic story of the forgotten lives and the deaths of people who lived in Colorado over a century ago.” - 5 p.m. (Early access for CU badged employees begins at 9 a.m.) The Center for Bioethics and Humanities and the gallery are in the Fulginiti Pavilion on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, 13080 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, Colorado.  Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanites © 2025 The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved. “Every time I left I had a different hair color and I would be standing on the porch saying goodbye to the older couple in the living room.” Mueller’s parents—with whom she had nothing in common except “a few inherited chromosomes and the same bathroom”—would scream and protest speeding off to who knows where or for how long in her friends’ cars her relief at being away from home was always short-lived “At this point it would always dawn on me that there was another problem,” she continues a professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia whose photography career has spanned forty years was a young graduate student at Yale’s School of Art when she embarked on the project that would become “Catholic Girl.” On an unseasonably snowy day in the spring of 1984 she decided to take the subway to visit an old art teacher at her alma mater an all-girls Catholic high school in Bay Ridge she decided to ask some students if she could take their portraits “There are people who know instinctively how to take a picture and I wasn’t one of those people,” Modica told me “And so I was always taking pictures very diligently she seemed to instinctively sense that photographing these schoolgirls who were only a handful of years younger than her “I recognized something there that I had to deal with about my time in high school—something both horrible and wonderful,” she said “And I had the privilege of dissecting it through these pictures.” The first photograph Modica took at the school was of two girls: one a tween the girls balefully face the camera as they pose against a building’s wall; the path below them is lined with the dregs of the recent snow The younger of the two wears a kilted dress and a plain headband—a textbook illustration of a Catholic schoolgirl has already begun to disentangle herself from the expectations of her environment With her hair sprayed into a nineteen-eighties pouf and unevenly scrunched socks tucked into ballet flats the two students read as two adjacent points on a girlhood timeline (Could the next point be the unseen young photographer taking the picture—a onetime Catholic schoolgirl herself?) Modica continued to take pictures at the Bay Ridge school and at a few Catholic schools in New Haven She often photographed the students she encountered in pairs Like Diane Arbus’s well-known picture from 1967 in which two seven-year-old identical twins Modica’s photographs of pairs tease out the tension between individuality and sameness but they are twin-like: sharing hair styles one can also feel each girl’s pulling away from the other wearing Members Only-style jackets and plaid skirts With their hands buried deep in their pockets bended knee very nearly touching the other’s It is as if they are drawn to each other by a magnetic force halted by each girl’s own impenetrable force field two students wearing matching winter coats and black tights are only distinguishable by their hair styles—one short The picture is reminiscent of a “Spot the difference” puzzle leading us to ask ourselves not just what makes a person but what makes a girl she emphasized the importance of the eight-by-ten camera to her practice but using it allows for incredibly precise (Modica also develops her own film and produces her own platinum prints.) Since each shot requires a lengthy setup time the camera also gives its subjects the sense that they are sitting for an official portrait This was certainly the case with the “Catholic Girl” series “It was such a slow and collaborative process,” Modica told me “And the girls were so generous.” Looking at the pictures we can see this gravity marking the students’ faces as if realizing that their encounter with Modica was giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be seen and understood Published in the print edition of the September 16, 2024, issue.New Yorker FavoritesA long-ago crime, suddenly remembered A limousine driver watches her passengers transform The day Muhammad Ali punched me What is it like to be keenly intelligent but deeply alienated from simple emotions? Temple Grandin knows The harsh realm of “gentle parenting.”  Retirement the Margaritaville way Fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Thank You for the Light.”  Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker. WESTPORT –Insurance defense litigation firm Coffey Modica LLP has named Peter Gould a veteran of the corporate and financial industry Gould hopes to tap into his extensive experience in financial and general management organizational development and growth to further scale up firm operations Gould comes to Coffey Modica after serving as president and founder of Stamford Capital LLC which provided advisory services for middle market companies with revenues of $10 million to $400 million in a range of industries throughout North America “I have known Michael Coffey for a long time and I believe in his vision for what a more effective legal services firm can and should be for both clients and top litigators,” Gould said and I look forward to working with the Coffey Modica team to achieve substantial strategic growth across the country and around the world.” One of the fastest growing law firms in the United States Coffey Modica has undergone a substantial expansion since its founding in 2021 approaching 100 staff members and six offices across three states in about four years has propelled corporate development and growth at billion-dollar companies through a combination of merger He previously served as president of the North America Flavor Division for 150-year-old French flavor and fragrance company Mane as well as vice president and general manager and CFO of the International Flavor Division at Sensient negotiated and closed multiple new business line acquisitions across the U.K. “Peter Gould is an exceptional financial leader whose expertise and business acumen spans industries and continents alike,” said Coffey Modica founding Partner Michael Coffey managing and achieving a company’s KPIs and I have no doubt that together with Peter’s guidance Coffey Modica will achieve greater market presence and an even larger platform to deliver its unique style of strategic legal counsel for insurers and the companies and business leaders they insure.” specializing in defense litigation for insurance companies and businesses in a wide variety of fields including automobile This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access. and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" CNN (CNN) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday while receiving the John F CNN (CNN) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday while receiving the John.. Trending Westchester Modica visited her old school and found the captivating subject she’d been looking for: teens whose big hair eyeliner and rolled-up skirts still radiate personality decades later “and there’s something about the first time it happens that is slightly out of control and magical and addictive.” Today Modica is a professor of photography with a career spanning four decades – she’s known for her luminous black-and-white portraiture using large-format cameras and platinum printing – but back then in her second year of graduate studies at Yale’s school of art “All those months of trying were [leading to] the most dreadful pictures,” she recalls over Zoom from Philadelphia On a snowy day in March 1984 she dropped by her old high school to meet her beloved art teacher Len Bellinger and asked on a whim if she could photograph some of his students but he let a couple of girls out of class and I took some pictures.” Immediately she knew she was on to something Despite the fact that the girls were all wearing the same uniforms their personalities radiated out of the frame “It’s at the confluence of disco and punk,” Modica recalls of the era “Bay Ridge was where Saturday Night Fever was filmed when I was in high school so disco was very important in that neighbourhood – and seven years later it’s still hanging on.” She points to one girl who stands by a wall with her hands clasped below the waist She’s got an ankle bracelet on a chain around her neck which is a symbol that she has a boyfriend She has her skirt rolled up so that she’s showing her legs.” Other girls project a more in-your-face punk attitude One girl is photographed during her school’s no-uniform day and she’s making the most of it there’s still this sense of a comfort zone – a need to have something religious on when going to school.” As much as Modica regards the series 40 years on as a “little time capsule of music and fashion” What were the punk fashion gestures reacting against if not the conformities of a Catholic upbringing In religion classes they’d say: ‘We don’t believe in abortion or premarital sex [but] what do you think?’ We were given a voice and required to support what we thought.” who clamoured to be photographed after she took the initial portraits in March 1984 “I don’t know if some girls came because it meant they could get out of class for 10 minutes but nobody did it begrudgingly.” Modica was shooting with an 8x10 large-format camera and because of that “one might argue there’s a certain amount of collaboration involved” friends on the sidelines would end up inside the frame “They were really proud of the uniforms,” she says “They had much stricter rules about them than the girls.” When Modica dug out the high school photos during lockdown and decided to turn them into a book many of the girls she contacted still had the prints she’d sent them at the time Getting back in touch has been “spectacularly fun” wearing glasses] ago she’s very shy and conservative but now she’s blossomed into this vivacious woman As a teacher herself Modica has learned to step aside whenever she sees her photography students becoming captivated by a subject – their own artistic first kisses “The first time it happens for somebody is unlike any time thereafter,” she says “Maybe the technique is not as good as it’s going to be in 10 years That cold spring day in 1984 was when it happened to Modica and those girls with their big hairstyles and leather jackets Catholic Girl is published by L’Artiere This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker former investment banker Simone Sabaini helped to reinvent Modica’s sweet scene This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).“I never liked Modica chocolate I thought it was just a tourist product with many defects,” says Simone Sabaini I understood why I didn’t like it and set about trying to make it better.” grainy chocolate isn’t to everyone’s taste When the Spanish brought cocoa beans to Sicily during their 500-year occupation they combined them with sugar to make a rustic bar using a technique learned from the Aztecs Despite smoother varieties becoming more popular elsewhere in Europe chocolate-makers in Modica stuck to their guns producing chocolate at cooler temperatures and eschewing cocoa butter But Simone saw an opportunity to shake things up The Verona-born former investment banker decamped to Modica in 2008 in search of a different pace of life and ingredients from Fairtrade and Slow Food producers I stopped using white sugar and processed the chocolate for longer which made it taste better and gave it a longer shelf life,” he says The result was a smoother Modica chocolate The inaugural Sabadì chocolate shop can be found in the old town of Modica.Photograph by Marco Bottigelli it was awarded Best Modica Chocolate by the Compagnia del Cioccolato a national association of chocolate enthusiasts and now Simone’s shop has become an essential stop in this city famed for its chocolate His creations include a 60% cocoa chocolate laced with mandarin zest; a gently spicy aged 75% cocoa bar with Sichuan pepper; and a superfood range made with bee pollen and acai berries (The 10 Best Chocolatiers in the World) In 2018, Modica chocolate became the first variety in Europe to gain Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. And today, the Sabadì range includes nine chocolate bars, with flavours ranging from Sicilian red orange to cinnamon, which comply with the strict rules of Modica chocolate’s PGI. Recently, Simone moved production to a facility on the edge of town, where he offers tours. In 2021, he opened Bar Sabadì in the gardens of San Giorgio, and a B&B, Le Stanze del Cioccolato. His success has prompted other producers to up their game. “By innovating, I forced them to change,” says Simone. “Anyway, it’s not about me, it’s about Modica chocolate, which bears the name of the town I love.” when Michael Dunn found himself being reprimanded in Brother Thadeus’s office for dressing inappropriately for Catholic school we’ll be dressed according to the school code,” Thadeus commanded In front of the principal’s office with the new rebel in her denim jacket with patchwork badges “The nose ring – you might wanna take that out.” From the regimented uniforms of ‘Heaven Help Us’ (1985) and ‘Loving Annabelle’ (2006) Andrea Modica’s ‘Catholic Girl’ is unperturbed in flouting rules where thick kohl-rimmed eyes styled with a pompadour and a leather jacket radiate the rebellion of a motorcycle club Modica grew up in an all-girls Catholic school in Brooklyn It was a different time in Catholic schooling “There were many radical nuns,” she said “And quite a number of younger teachers in their 20s who were encouraging us to have opinions and speak our minds had I not had the art teacher Len Bellinger – he kind of turned me around.” It was to see him that Modica stepped on to a train to Brooklyn from Yale where she was a photography student in 1984 It’d only been a few years since high school and looking at the fresh batch of young girls her mind switched back to her time in high school which was incredibly difficult – the side-effects of being a teenager “I would not blame Catholic school for that.” Looking at the girls it made her want to face that traumatic period head-on It became a full-fledged project when she came across other Catholic schools in New Haven and also photographed girls there – one of the eerie images as the rest of her blurred classmates giggled but rather how quickly she could get the picture between classes without being reprimanded by a teacher – which proved difficult as she was five feet with a large 8x10 camera – which she still uses Modica was drawn towards places and groups she felt left out of “I wanted to find my place there,” she mused Modica would photograph Yankee baseball players playing the minor league – a cousin project but their rules on eliminating individualistic presentation like facial hair – which made her focus on their uniforms and physicality “They demanded they have a certain behaviour of politeness,” she recalled “Here it’s the sameness – there’s very little of that adornment that the high school girls are really breaking through in their uniform.” That really spells out her fascination with uniforms – watching people express where they stand Music really dictated the way things were when Modica was in high school and they were wearing fringe and striped stockings influenced by ‘70s counterculture and disco By the time she was photographing the girls “Her haircut was based on a drummer from one of the girl bands,” she said pointing towards the girl wearing a watch on the cover Her school primarily allowed black or navy-blue socks and shoes and a crisp white shirt with a pleated skirt “But nobody said anything about black lipstick or a chain,” she laughed recalling how girls in Catholic school would roll up their skirts these were ways that girls were able to express themselves within the rules Nobody said you can’t have hair that’s ten inches high!” Modica works with a 19th century platinum printmaking process “Which is a long time for somebody to be staying still,” she said “In part this is why nobody is smiling.” It allows the girls enough time to present themselves before the camera making it an amalgamation between documentation and the performative One of them hides her face as she stands on the table “I would have asked them to move a bag or move down a step for sure,” she said comparing it to a fashion shoot – an aesthetic her work is quite symptomatic of There were more photographs which she threw away years ago “Some of the girls have prints of them,” she said Bellinger and other teachers helping her find them escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox andreamodica.com Upasana Das is a freelance writer working on fashion SEARCHJOIN CLUB In the spring of 1984, during a freak storm that dropped a thick layer of snow on New York, Andrea Modica headed to Brooklyn to see her old art teacher at the time still on staff at Modica’s alma mater: a largely Italian-American Catholic school for girls in Bay Ridge “I was exactly seven years out of high school in the middle of graduate school,” recalls the photographer but something tipped; I returned to all those emotions of being in high school seven years is a tiny amount of time and I was still so close to it.” Firmly grasping hold of these feelings – her own and those she recognised in the girls around her – Modica began making work on the school grounds Four decades on, the pictures have been assembled into a monograph, Catholic Girl Mostly photographed outdoors and frequently in pairs (“at that age the best friend is usually hovering around”) both in Brooklyn and at two further schools in New Haven where Modica was attending Yale there is an overriding toughness to the images coupled with a particular vulnerability that speaks to the girls’ age facets of her character underscored by her sartorial choices – the coat she chooses to drape over the co-ordinated white blouse and tartan skirt or the sort of jewellery she selects as armour there is an unwavering and wonderfully rich approach to appearance which feels One pair in particular proved especially striking to Modica: two sisters her lips painted black as liner stretches from the corners of her eyes but she’s got those things going on – that hadn't changed; we had always figured out ways to not get into too much trouble but still be enough of a pain to the nuns,” shares Modica a crucifix dangling from her ear and her face seemingly free of product “I love that the younger sister is the rebel that the bigger sister’s not wearing much make-up An abundance of different types of music that shows itself in the politics and also the fashion – the book is a fashion exposé without ever meaning to be.” Though she didn’t recognise it then in making the pictures Modica was producing an archive of the wider cultural themes of the time “So much of it had to do with music – and it really was about this clashing,” she notes “My school was heavily into disco – ‘74 to ’78 Brooklyn – and then there was another faction much more interested in classic rock So in 1984 I was noticing how the styles had changed Mirroring the subsequent shift in subcultures – largely eroded by streaming and the financial ease for fans interested in dipping into multiple genres – that the series materialised pre-camera phones and digital cameras distinctly informed the way the girls engaged with Modica she says and similarly responded to her camera (a heavy 8x10 piece she still shoots with today) “Imagine that they were not photographing themselves or each other they had to stay still [because of the type of camera] so by the time the picture’s made they’re not performing it’s really a collaboration of what I’m seeing them do It’s so different from the performative tendency of taking a picture with the telephone nostalgia and gratitude are the overwhelming sentiments she offers “that I actually was there when that happened and I saw and learned what was happening right in front of me I couldn’t have invented something like that.” In tandem with this is a contemplation of her own teen years which Modica describes in the book’s single essay as “a time of intense joy and unfathomable grief” “Life can’t and shouldn’t go on like that forever,” she adds over Zoom Catholic Girl is published by L’Artiere Edizioni and avilable to pre-order here now Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here WESTPORT – The Westport-based law firm Coffey Modica LLP has recently added three litigators to its team of insurance litigation experts Two are from Fairfield County and a third from Westchester County recently hired Partner Megan Bryson of Fairfield who works in the firm’s Westport headquarters has more than 15 years of experience in complex litigation and insurance defense With bar admissions in Connecticut and New York and multiple federal courts Bryson brings experience in professional liability who works out of the firm’s Tarrytown office specializing in construction and vehicle accidents who served as an assistant district attorney at the New York County District Attorney’s office has provided her expertise on a variety of cases including violent crimes With more than 15 years of experience in prosecution and defense she specializes in medical malpractice defense and general and products liability litigation the partners at Coffey Modica have represented the country’s most prominent businesses and insurance companies and have built remarkable reputations and practices by delivering optimal resolutions unique to each client and matter Its practice areas are focused on liability claims Strolling through the charming streets of Modica will reveal many storefronts announcing cioccolato di Modica The birthplace of this Italian IGP (indicazione geografica protetta) product is located in the south of Sicily Only a 1.5-hour drive away from NAS Sigonella this location is perfect for a leisurely outing to taste Sicily’s specialty chocolate Visit this quaint town in the afternoon to witness the golden hour glow across the terracotta houses that line the valley Modica is a UNESCO Heritage Site in the south of Sicily with a rich chocolate history historians believe the unique process of making Modica chocolate dates back to the 1700s after the Spanish brought cacao from the Americas The chocolates sold here are made only in Modica using natural ingredients and processed according to traditional methods to ensure the sugar granules maintain their crunchy texture This results in a texturally interesting and highly aromatic type of chocolate Some chocolate-related locations of note include Sabadi chocolatier the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily and the Chocolate Museum which is located in the middle of town and surrounded by many chocolate shops and paintings made from chocolate (including a chocolate topographic map of Italy!) is a good way to glean some insight into Modica’s chocolate history Sabadi is a chocolatier with locations in Modica and Ortigia They sell decadent chocolates of all types that are made only in Modica and chocolates with milk or completely raw cacao bars This shop is also perfect for people who are gluten-free and vegan The employees will provide explanations for all chocolates and answer any questions you have they will accompany you to their chocolate aging cellar This type of chocolate is flavored from contact with ingredients – imagine smelling a piece of chamomile while eating a slice of chocolate You can buy this chocolate even if you do not wish to enter the cellar The last recommendation is tucked away in a little alley – Antica Dolceria Bonajuto Self-proclaimed as the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily This location sells chocolate bars as well as pastries This chocolatier has a large variety of flavors such as a bar made with donkey milk (you can always ask to taste a sample first) you can peruse the display cases containing chocolate memorabilia or peek into the kitchens behind the large glass windows Tour reservations are available where you can see the “bean to bar” laboratory This only touches on locations worthy of sightseeing in Modica There are stores selling Mediterranean textiles and other Sicilian products such as olive oil as well as breathtaking Italian architecture there are many more places to experience chocolate Wrap up your day at a gelateria (ice cream shop) and enjoy a delicious chocolate granita con brioche Be sure to check opening hours in advance as some places in Modica observe Riposo provides an idyllic backdrop for the Kupuri House This single-family vacation home exemplifies how architecture can graciously interact with its natural setting not merely blending in but enhancing the experience of the environment it inhabits Kupuri House is strategically positioned to make the most of its stunning location Situated on the third line of view of the Pacific Ocean the house is oriented diagonally towards the bay to maximise ocean views This design choice is fundamental to the project’s philosophy which prioritises natural vistas and environmental harmony The architectural program of Kupuri House is designed to accommodate two main bedrooms situated at opposite corners each with unobstructed views of the Pacific These private retreats are connected by a central social area that encourages communal activities while maintaining individual privacy The bedrooms on the upper level offer panoramic sea views while those below enjoy picturesque views of the landscaped gardens The architects have, furthermore, skillfully integrated natural materials into the design of Kupuri House Recognising the need for cooling in a coastal environment they included two swimming pools: one facing the garden and another designed as a sundeck with a scenic view of the Pacific These pools not only provide relief from the heat by way of function and influencing microclimate but also enhance the property’s exclusivity and high-end allure One of the key design considerations for Kupuri House was the cross-circulation of winds that tamp the coastline The open-plan design allows for natural ventilation ensuring that the living spaces remain cool and comfortable without the need for artificial conditioning This sustainable approach not only reduces energy consumption but also elevates the overall living experience the architects have crafted a home that is both visually stunning and environmentally responsive The project further highlights the ongoing challenges in modern architectural practice particularly in balancing luxury with sustainability across scenic but ecologically sensitive locations While it successfully integrates natural elements and offers innovative design solutions it also raises questions about the broader implications of merging high-end aesthetics with environmental responsibility firmly underscores the complexities and compromises inherent in designing for both opulence and sustainability Nikitha is a young architect and writer contributing to various publications she loves writing across different genres and interviewing architects and designers Nikitha wants to tell impactful stories to a larger audience beyond the architecture and design fraternity focusing on how design influences people and the creative use of spaces From vernacular knowledge to modern sustainability Middle Eastern pavilions serve as living archives of architectural thought offering fresh frameworks for global adoption STIR engages with the curators of the Togo Oman and Qatar pavilions—debuting at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025—on representation the book presents a fictional story depicting algorithms exercising control over humans and how this affects the built environment Tipnis shares how the toolbox democratises the practice of restoration via DIY resources to repair tangible urban heritage made of common building materials Exclusive preview for subscribers. Learn More Make your fridays matter. Learn More © Copyright 2019-2025 STIR Design Private Limited Please confirm your email address and we’ll send you a link to reset your password All your bookmarks will be available across all your devices Password must be 8 characters long including one capital letter By creating an account, you acknowledge and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy by STIR Select the Conversation Category you would like to watch Please enter your details and click submit Single account access for STIRworld.com,STIRpad.com and exclusive STIRfri content Verification link sent to check your inbox or spam folder to complete sign up process by Nikitha Sunil | Published on : Aug 12 The Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School hosted its year-end celebration to highlight a successful academic year and the 22 members of the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) and the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program The event recognized students who completed their PhDs are finishing PREP or have successfully passed their PhD qualifying exam The PREP and the IMSD program are funded through the National Institutes of Health with the shared goal of increasing diversity and promoting the success of students in biomedical sciences.  Enhancing academic preparedness and research experienceJoshuel Velasco has been enrolled in the PREP program since 2022 the Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research and professor of molecular medicine Velasco will be pursuing his PhD in biomedical sciences at UMass Chan this fall I wasn’t sure that I was capable of being a PhD student in biomedical sciences but with the experience that I’ve gained I am definitely confident that I can succeed,” Velasco said “I wanted to hone my scientific confidence and having the mentors along the way to steer me in the right direction.” “The IMSD program helped me understand what being a research-focused scientist means I’m very glad I’ve been a part of this community.” The PREP program runs from July to June and enrolls nine students each year citizens or permanent residents and have completed a bachelor’s degree within the past three years and intend to pursue doctoral study in the biomedical sciences PREP student Amanda Modica will be pursuing a PhD in microbiology and immunology at Drexel University College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies starting this fall investigating HIV accessory proteins and the mechanisms by which they trigger natural killer cells I gained the skills I needed to bolster my graduate school application and I feel well prepared for the next step,” Modica said Building a community of underrepresented students in the biomedical sciencesDavid Upegui a science teacher at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island and an adjunct professor of education at Brown University served as the year-end celebration’s keynote speaker an IMSD student and fourth-year biomedical science PhD candidate Upegui as her science teacher at Central Falls High “The IMSD program helped me understand what being a research-focused scientist means,” said Magana who has a Bachelor of Science in biology from Rhode Island College “I think of all the supplementary workshops that we get—writing How we think about those kinds of things isn’t anything I really thought about until I was with IMSD.” professor of biochemistry & molecular biotechnology vice chair of diversity for the department and assistant vice provost for health equity where she researches specific mutations in the VPS45 gene that causes congenital neutropenia The IMSD program enrolls more than 40 students at all stages in their PhD journey The program strives to increase the number of students who complete PhD degrees despite socially economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that inhibit entry into research training and careers “Everyone in the program comes from different backgrounds and UMass Chan really wants to see us succeed in the program,” said Calvin Johnson a PhD candidate in the IMSD program who earned his Bachelor of Science in microbiology from UMass Amherst where he is identifying new drug targets for reversing suppression of the immune system in pancreatic cancer friendly and eager to answer questions for trainees.” IMSD Class of 2024Nathan BamideleXavier GonzalezLeslie Torres Ulloa PREP Class of 2024Lali BerelashviliTarrin D’AnielloAmanda ModicaCaroline MooreBlanca Muñoz VillarrealRachell RiveraOlachi UnakaJoshuel VelascoAstrid Veloz-Maury IMSD Qualifying Exam CompletionZhané AdamsonRakeyah AhsanBrianna DominguezCalvin JohnsonOscar LamRebecca PavchinskiyClaudia PerezAlejandra Rivera NievesCarolyn SennecaAskar Temirbek Sign up Privacy Statement Every product is independently selected by editors Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission which were well-loved by the public but remained on the fringes of insider art respectability It was the story of the Soho building into which he had poured a portion of his life Di Modica was a recent immigrant from Sicily dropping eight of his huge marble sculptures on the Rockefeller Center plaza one night to establish an impromptu It worked exactly as planned: He got fined He did the same kind of furtive nighttime drop a decade later with Charging Bull which the city first impounded like an abandoned Chevy then grudgingly installed in the Financial District where it has drawn a wealth of attention and love It was an Instagram object before Instagram had gone from desolate to borderline respectable with just enough outlaw sheen remaining that it was very and he had his eye on a piece of property nearby It was a vacant lot with a half-rotted sheet-metal-covered shack on it “Okay — come down to the office with $5,000.” Arturo didn’t have the five grand but he scraped it together by borrowing from some art collectors he knew Whereupon he learned that $5,000 was not the total price on the theory that he’d figure out the rest of the payments later Di Modica would commit to projects that were going to cost millions of dollars to produce with little idea where or how those dollars would materialize The vacant lot had previously been the site of a one-story commercial building that (as I remember it) Di Modica told me had burned down Being a sculptor who was comfortable working with his hands — and a man who was in no position to hire a contractor — he set out to build on the lot himself He bought a truckload of 8,000 bricks for $400 — from a priest He did not bother with the Department of Buildings and its permit process; this was the city of a generation ago when you could do things a little bit under the radar he found a pile of discarded 20-foot wooden beams somewhere he found the footings of the previous building looks restrained and utterly craftsmanlike suspect that it was a renegade guerrilla project It was — and still is — a rather modest two-story building with a kind of balcony loft upstairs (as Harmer put it And here’s where Di Modica’s story goes from plucky to over-the-top berserk Di Modica began to dig a two-level basement this was all clandestine) would haul out the tailings by night ditching them somewhere far from Crosby Street The city eventually got wind of its existence and sent out an inspector who in a Hollywood ending (at least as Di Modica told it) was impressed enough with his workmanship to approve the whole thing retroactively he fitted out the ceilings with some tree-trunk-size wooden screws that had been part of a wine press or some such rustic mechanical contrivance asking him if he’d really dug the whole thing out by hand although he did hold parties and art events in the space “he’d finished some sculptures based on nude models the sculptures were there and so were the nude models He called it ‘Sex on the Beach,’ and shipped in tons of sand to make the beach.” Eventually he needed money to finance his art projects and also to get a sculpture school off the ground back in Sicily he gave up on the restaurant and reaped his incredibly hard-earned profit: He sold 54 Crosby for $3.2 million The interior was renovated into a crisp minimal retail store one that’s had a couple of tenants since then (sadly And there you have the story of Soho: from unlivable shack to handmade outlaw home to art-party space to seven-figure real-estate play Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York Michael Stephen Modica was born on April 3 he remained independent to the very end of his illness Much to the disappointment of several very nice ladies half-brother Robert Neitzel and nephews Dave A visitation will be held on Sunday from 3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m meeting at Cooney Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m in Chicago for a graveside service at 11:00 a.m. For information please call 773-588-5850 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com  Click here to read our spring 2025 issue, featuring Caught by the Tides' Jia Zhangke and Zhao Tao, our annual spotlight on locations and more... Edy Modica cites not-so-average New Yorkers as her principal creative influence—she often records and transcribes public conversations as they play out in front of her face “There’s nothing realer than that,” said the Brooklyn-based actor I recorded this couple standing on the L train platform The girl had mascara running down her face—very Jersey Shore—and told her boyfriend ‘I saw you looking at those girls!’ He screamed loud and desperately craving a Dunkin’ Donuts Coolatta the eponymous Nicole of Modica’s breakthrough 2021 short currently streaming on the NoBudge platform is similarly inspired by real-life “funny characters,” though this time the director eschews observations gleaned from strangers on the street a place she simply describes as “weird,” Modica recalls adolescent interactions with family members that would eventually mold the character of Nicole; namely 25-year-old lesbian her uncle “dated” (i.e. did drugs with) and brand-obsessed cousins from Freehold She also references her Facebook sleuthing of hometown acquaintances as an additional muse (“They’re like caricatures but real-ass people!”)  disgustingly selfish and determined to quench her thirst with the only sugary coffee beverage that will suffice she can’t help but abuse and alienate everyone she encounters When an old friend offers her a ride to “Dunks,” Nicole callously reveals that she once tricked her into sending nudes during high school by masquerading as a “basketball lesbian” on Facebook “You have salami tits,” jabs Nicole as she’s being kicked out of the car after her brash confession When she finally makes the trek on foot to Dunkin’ she arrives to find the establishment closed for an employee-only “Dunksperience” training Confronting a barista on their smoke break (“I will cause a scene at your fucking job she embarks on the next leg of her strange odyssey coming across a corner store a capella group Co-directed by Modica and her frequent collaborator (and ex-boyfriend) Ian Faria the film’s authentic portrayal of a specific type of person came down to debating over the finest details Modica deeply regrets not including Nicole’s use of a signature scent in terms of how it would play among millennials I got into an argument with Ian about seeing the Sweet Pea Bath & Body Works spray in the short,” she laughs Modica and Faria subvert the dominant depiction of poor oft-trashy characters within the media landscape “If they’re showing someone who doesn’t have money on screen they need to be redeeming and have a heart of gold,” complains Modica While Nicole is a bold and self-assured short—complete with an impeccable central performance and well-curated visual flourishes (dirty Ugg boots neon-painted acrylic nails)—Modica will likely identify as a comedian and performer first she attended a two-year acting program at Manhattan’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts (“a scam school”) She has spent the past 12 years living in the city and building a reputation for herself as an ever-present figure in New York’s comedy scene Modica has felt that the creative transition to narrative filmmaking was sudden but she is ready to embrace the process—particularly because it allows her to flesh out original characters brazenly portrayed in all of their sleazy glory With partial funding from Brain Dead Studios Modica is currently developing her feature debut She’s teaming up with the same crew that created Nicole producer/AD Sarah Wilson and producer/DP Alex Bliss this time donning intense prosthetics to play a 60-year-old man who works at a restaurant with his brother When his sibling sells the business without warning Modica’s character goes on a full-blown bender Supporting actors from Nicole will also appear in this film Though she is aiming to begin shooting by December Modica’s mostly just happy to relish the moment “You’re catching me at a good moment.”—NK/photo by Fiona Veronique This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission This week, we’re highlighting 25 talented writers and performers for Vulture’s annual list “The Comedians You Should and Will Know.” Our goal is to introduce a wider audience to the talent that has the comedy community and industry buzzing (You can read more about our methodology at the link above.) We asked the comedians on the list to answer a series of questions about their work Tell us a story from your childhood you think explains why you ended up becoming a comedian.My mom used to put a brush in her ass and dance around to make me laugh my stepdad would put his false teeth on my dinner plate before I got to the table as a surprise and my dad would make me leave messages on his best friend’s answering machine saying “Go fuck yourself” as a child … I know this question is looking for but I think I just grew up around turning darkness into laughter so much that it stuck What unscripted or reality series do you think you’d excel at What archetype do you think you’d be?I want to start shit on Love Is Blind — fall in love in the pods have the moment where we see each other for the first time “… It’s you … It’s always been you.” Then at the first mixer with all of the paired couples I’ll give over-the-pants HJs to everyone’s fiancés What’s your proudest achievement of your comedy career so far?Uhhhh, Jury Duty What have you learned about your own joke-writing process that you didn’t know when you started?Unfortunately I’ll be stressed all day about what I’m going to say at a show that’s new and exciting for me and then five minutes before Talk about how your pussy looked gray in the sun today I still get nervous that that’s going to stop happening even if I go through phases where I’m coming up with less Tell us everything about your worst show ever. (This can involve venue, audience, other comedians on the lineup — anything!)I farted next to Eric Rahill and blamed it on a cop that walked by us in a grocery store and it was all literary folk doing readings of serious prose I thought my only way to pierce through the room would be with Raw Truth I’ll confess to Eric that it wasn’t the cop — it was me After a woman with an Irish accent read a serious story about melancholy dates in candlelit abodes I said that my fart was “stinky” and that Eric said he “hadn’t smelled something like that in a long time” to near silence I thought this would bring the house down for some reason I think people don’t love hearing women say fart Let’s say we live in a “Kings of Catchphrase Comedy” alternate dimension where every single comedian is required to have a hit catchphrase What’s yours and why?When someone says a highbrow word “I made one of those in the toilet this morning.” For example “The mise-en-scène in that film program was delightful,” I would respond “I made a mise-en-scène in the toilet this morning.” Yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They all fall under the umbrella of being true to yourself and I think that’s the most inspiring thing you can do as a performer When it comes to your comedy opinions — about material — what hill will you die on?You don’t have to tell us who you are — just show us they will see everything you want to convey … If you had to come onstage to just one song for the rest of your life what song would it be and why?“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane because it is awesomeness … either when you were starting out or more recently?I can’t think of anything for this question … “Be yourself” is the best advice and anything that isn’t that is the worst ……. uncle, friend and husband was taken from us over the weekend football and even frisbee golf (his sons ignored the FROLF) He loved science fiction and contemporary American writers (He was particularly proud of his conquering of James Joyce) perhaps his family’s favorite of his hobbies The children will dearly miss Sunday dinners with sauce and the like. Finally He put himself through college and quickly established a successful career at Prudential He worked as a Database Administrator for 30+ years for Prudential and finally for Imagine Software in New York City and militant in the way he provided for the family.  he coached soccer for many seasons, and he guided both children through college and early professional life with love and tenderness.  The dinner table was always electric with conversation.  David was taken from his family far too early 2021 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Gosselin Funeral Home 660 New Dover Road