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For you beer aficionados who will be in Italy on June 20th, Trastevere's Bir e Fud is planning a tour of Opperbacco di Notaresco, an artisanal brewery near Teramo in Abruzzo . For 20 Euros you will get a tour and beer tasting at the brewery along with a picnic lunch consisting of delicious antipasti. Make reservations through Bir e Fud by calling 39.06.5561677. Buon Apetito!

The Slow Food Network is looking to donate $25,000 to help victims of the Abruzzo earthquake with basic necessities. Just $25 helps a local farmer pay for a table at the new market in l'Aquila. You can help by going to GlobalGiving.com and making a donation.

Ferragamo and GlobalGiving .com have put a collection of handbags donated by celebrities (Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Eva Longoria , to name a few) on eBay . All proceeds go directly to benefit the Abruzzo region, which was devastated by an earthquake earlier this year. At last check, Madonna's Sophia bag was going for $2,235. Read more about it on eternallycool .net . Want to donate to the cause but aren't interested in fashion? GlobalGiving .com has an Italy Earthquake Relief Fund that you can donate to anytime you want.

There is no doubt that the recent earthquake in Abruzzo was a disaster. But Silvio Berlusconi's response was swift and efficient, prompting hopes that Abruzzo's recovery will be possible. But past earthquakes in Italy have proven the country's government to be ineffective in keeping its promises and making sure that relief funds get to into the right hands. One of the reasons for this may be that Italy's government usually changes before anything serious can get done. Berlusconi's government is supposed to be in power for the next four years-hopefully that will be enough time to see some real results-and rebuilding in Abruzzo. Read more about it in the Economist .