In this fast-paced AI-driven world, filled with constant connectivity but little interaction, the human part of ourselves that still beckons us to slow down, savor the moment, and cultivate meaningful experiences that nurture our souls is yearning for a taste of the "Dolce Vita." But what is the Dolce Vita, really?  

 

Welcome to a rare and wonderful journey through the essence of La Dolce Vita in this special edition of Lost and Found Italy magazine. We have delved deep into the heart of this enigmatic term, unravelling its significance both past and present. Through captivating narratives, stories, and exclusive interviews, we illuminate the allure of this popular concept as experienced by iconic figures such as Salvatore Calabrese (The Maestro) inventor of the iconic Breakfast Martini and Guinness World-breaking Mixologist,  Gianni Russo (Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather), whose stories blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy.  I also sat down with the legendary Rino Barillari, Fellini's "King of Paparazzi" at Harry's Bar in Via Veneto where he illuminated me on the Golden Age and his relationship with Federico Fellini. Thanks to Rino, this issue is not a magazine, but an art exhibition of some of his most iconic photographs of the Dolce Vita era. 

 

When the interviews were over, it took some time for me to settle back into my reality. I felt as if I had been temporarily suspended into another universe and somehow had to find a way to make others believe where I just went, if I could even believe where I just went. Somehow, every story connects to the other stories inside these pages. But how could this be?  I awoke in the deep of the night, as happens frequently when contemplating a question heavily over a considerable period of time, with my answer—perhaps not the answer or the most profound of answers, but the answer my being was searching for post-interviews:

 

Perhaps La Dolce Vita isn’t the life lived sweetly, but rather the life lived fully: full of departures and arrivals, mistakes and victories, encounters, risks, friends, foes, and fantasies; and ultimately full of stories—stories so human, so daring,  and so outlandish that they will be told and retold throughout history, but only truly believed by the one who dared boldly enough to live them.

 

So as I close this wonderful chapter, treasuring every interview in my heart along this incredible life journey, I am grateful to share a piece of this Dolce Vita with you in the hopes that you too will find your own.

 

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With gratitude

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 Giovanna G. Bonomo 

Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief
Concepteur of the multimedia brand Lost & Found in Italy