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Looking forward to 2007, we are happy to share with you that our new office here in Rome is located next to a small cheese factory.
Not only do they make cheese, they make cheese with a difference, with tofu.
An Ital-Nippon initiative which will require further exploration next year.
Happy New Year.
A few years ago there was a project encouraging us to adopt a sheep from Abruzzo, or was it wolf.
For 2007, its the ancient camellias of Lucca in Tuscany.
As part of the 18th Exhibition of its type in Spring 2007, each plant adopted will be cordoned off with a label showing the name of the donor.
If you are interested in supporting this initiative, you can fill out a form at www.camelielucchesia.it.
The event is international and 2006 saw camellias from the Azores being shown as well as the world's oldest camellias from Pillnitz Castle, Dresden. They date from the late 1800's.
For 2007 representatives from Porto, Brussels, Nantes and Pontevedra will be present.
The event will be held in Pieve and S.Andrea di Compito Capannori.
It is a small and simple village where visitors can wind their way past ancient houses, stone walls, several delightful historic villas and frequent home-made statues to the Madonna that bear witness to an ancient and spontaneous religiosity.
The camellias are located in an unspoiled and peaceful landscape of gently rolling hills, olive grove, pines and camellia trees.
Where to Stay: Albergo Villa Marta, Lucca
When every inhabitant of the Italian peninsular lived in the countryside, the wheel of life and work was measured by the passage of the seasons and the phases of the moon.
Today, as most of us live in high density urban environments, we have to look elsewhere for clues.
Our unforgiving barometer is the subtly rotating plastic tat sold by the local household supply shop on the way to the office.
These are the shops that sell such gadgets as transparent storage boxes, portable umbrellas, flip flops and flower pots.
From mid December and for every 2 weeks over the next 12 months, we will monitor what is put out for sale to give you an idea of the temperature of life in the Eternal city.
Here goes:
Week 1: 19 December
Various Christmas decorations, 2 befana figures, cups and plates for the Cenone, synthetic Stelle di Natale flowers
We never knew Rome was home to the 'Discoteca di Stato'.
Translated literally that's the 'State Discoteque'. Surely not.
Images of civil servants unwinding following a long day flood to mind.
What we have learned is that the 'Discoteca di Stato' is located in Via Caetania in the Chiesa Dives Misericordiae di Tor Tre Teste. It was projected by Richard Meier, the same who designed the controversial new home for the Ara Pacis near the River Tiber.
Whatever, we'll be checking it out this Christmas as part of 'Zampogne a Roma'.
We mentioned this traditional Christmas scene earlier in this Blog and the event is aimed at regaining interest in this fabulous ancient wind instrument from the Lazio Abruzzo Apennine hills.
We picked up this from a restaurant near Rome. Can you add to it?
"Some people may think that Italian meals are excessively large and that they go on forever.
Leisurely they are, but portions are smaller than those served in the United States or the United Kingdom.
Thus, it is possible to eat a complete meal without feeling you have indulged or damaged your waistline.
And since all chefs take great pride in selecting the freshest of local ingredients, menus can change seasonally.
This means you won't be eating pears in June or green peas in December. When in doubt let your waiter help you to decide.
Italians love to discuss food and conferring with the waiter before ordering is almost expected.
In many restaurants written menus are only a guide to what an establishment offers.
Although most restaurants try to meet individual requests, just remember the old Italian adage "If you dont see what you love, love what you see"."
If you are ever in Rome, head to the Angelica Gallery.
The Gallery is in the same building as the Angelica Library, part of the Ministry of Cultural Activities & Goods which conserves precious and rare relics in one of the few architectural works designed by Luigi Vanvitelli during his stay in Rome.
Over Christmas 2006 the works of London born artist Lorenzo Scaretti are on show.
Born in London and son of an Italian banker and an English writer and painter, his art is a tireless capacity to play with words and images: “... prose is obsolete, a play on words is the new form of expression, because a play on words immediately condenses an idea and an image”.
Some even say 'his artistic endeavours are an all-out Punic war against the conventional'
His works can be found in numerous private collections in New York, London, Paris, Washington, Los Angeles, Montreal, Houston, Brussels and Rome.
If you like Magritte, you'll like this.
Galleria Angelica
via di S. Agostino, 11
Rome
What has Newcastle got in common with the Italian regions? More than you would expect.
Above all, a passionate regional identity, a dialect all of its own and one of the most identifiable regional products of the UK, Newcastle Brown Ale.
A bit like Mortadella di Bologna (IGP) perhaps.
In fact, we have learned that the European regulators may have just removed the IGP status from the illustrious beer.
This means that Newcastle Brown Ale can only be called Brown Ale from now, probably. Or even worse, someone could start manufacturing in Newcastle and apply for IGP protection.
The reason is the producers needed to enlarge their production premises and moved out of town. If the beer is made out of the Newcastle borders, no IGP.
This has implications in Italy of course.
IGP is a mark guaranteed by the European Union and was created to promote the authenticity and artisan characteristics of certain food and agricultural products.
Until the 14th January 2007 our friends at ARCH, the new art gallery recently opened in central Rome off via Cavour, are holding a very modern Italian exhibition.
Inspired by the Suq al-Milh of ancient San'a in Yemen, the gallery is being transformed into a market museum full of an incredible number of objects and handmade items.
The artists themselves are almost all Italian and have taken their inspiration from the East or Near East and they include fashion, jewelery, photographs etc.
Strangest of all is the i-Dog.
The exhibition has the support of the Comune di Roma.
ARCH
Via G. Lanza 91A (Largo Brancaccio)
00184 Roma
Portofino could mean 'refined port', but the name actually comes from the Latin Portus Delphini.
Today, this remarkable coastal village oozes exclusivity.
Indeed, you may have to queue to get into the village as numbers are strictly limited.
That's motor vehicles we're talking about and be aware that it costs 9 euros for your first 2 hours of parking once at the pedestrian zone. The first 5 mins are free!
We prefer tales of pirates, fishermen and animated communities of ancient folk going about their daily lives. A romanticised past for sure but look hard enough and it's all there.
Try this recipe for Trofie pasta Portofino style and resist buying the pesto sauce from your local supermarket by making it yourself. You'd be surprised how easy it is.
