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Shutterstock The story goes that in the early ’60s, the actor Richard Burton found himself in Switzerland in the midst of a romance with Elizabeth Taylor when he got a call from John Huston. The director invited him to star in his upcoming film, The Night of the Iguana, which was to be filmed “in paradise!” That’s how the renowned director described Puerto Vallarta and its surroundings, which were little known outside Mexico at the time. He understood so little about this area of the Pacific Coast that the actor went to the Mexican embassy in Switzerland and asked to see a map; he wanted them to point to “that paradise” that would serve as the setting for the film adaptation of one of playwright Tennessee Williams’s masterpieces. ....
by Craig Takeuchi on December 14th, 2020 at 11:15 AM 1 of 2 2 of 2 A celebrated culinary legend who helped transform Vancouver s dining scene over the past 50 years will receive one of Italy s top honours. Italian President Sergio Mattarella is bestowing the Order of the Star of Italy upon Vancouver chef Umberto Menghi. The honorary title is given to expatriates or foreigners who have made an exceptional contribution to the preservation and promotion of Italian culture and heritage abroad. Menghi was recommended by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio. “Umberto Menghi is an ambassador of the finest Italian cuisine in Vancouver and British Columbia at large,”Di Maio explained. “As one of the first restaurateurs to establish authentic Italian restaurants in B.C., he has trained generations of chefs, promoting and fostering true Italian traditions, which he has always been deeply fond of.” ....