Merry Christmas !

I cannot wait to spend a few days surrounded by the warmth of my entire family, and to meet my old sweet friends.
Awaiting to meet you here soon, I wish you all the most wonderful Christmas holidays! xoxo

Decor with cookies

I have been buying these chocolate cookies for many years

and I must have been too busy eating them to notice that they could have been used as Christmas decorations!

I bet that this year for the first time, the children will "give me a hand" to undo the Christmas tree!

Every cloud has a silver lining

Sometimes in life, certain events, that at first appear to be a nuisance, end up being opportunities to change perspectives.
Since my car is still being repaired, I try to walk as much as possible, but sometimes, I must cover longer distances by taxi or by bus. 

If on the one hand waiting times are very long, on the other, not driving allows to better observe all what that surrounds you. Walking is also very pleasant, especially if you're in good company.
So, although impeded to move rapidly, I've done my best to keep my little, pleasant habits.
Have breakfast with a hot cappuccino and a croissant.

Have lunch with my daughter at the nearby Dulcamara, taking advantage of the Christmas break,

and do some window shopping with her, as to find new ideas to add to our Christmas wish list.

Little habits that, when accomplished without using the car, become even more pleasant and stressless, and are beneficial to my health and for the environment.
No car? No problem! :-)

My Christmas tree

I haven't had time yet to buy the slightest Christmas gift but, at least, I have clear ideas about what I want to give. 
Indeed, I have spent this last week fighting against water dripping from my ceiling 

and shuttling my car on a break-down van.

But in spite, or because, of these mishaps, my Christmas tree is all dressed up 

Ferrari or Fiat 500 ?

Which one is your favorite red?

Christmas in Rome

COMING SOON

Beato Angelico
The first Renaissance artist to be on display at Galleria Borghese during the year of the Faith, that started on October, 11th and will end on November, 24th 2013, is Beato Angelico. 
His "Annunciation of Cortona" (1430 A.D.) will be exhibited for a period of two months, and followed by four other masterpieces of different artists, all testifying the influence of faith on art, literature and music.
Beato Angelico's altarpiece will be presented in preview tonight next to the tomb of the painter, who rests in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, and moved from tomorrow until February, 10 to Galleria Borghese. 

Art and food: nourishment for the body and soul

Despite the awful weather conditions which prevail in these days in Rome, and make me want to stay locked at home, I couldn't miss the exhibition of Serena Dini's paintings. My dearest friend's aunt, who I unfortunately do not know, is surely an interesting person. About ten years ago, she opened a resort in the Sahara desert,

2012: Christmas trees around the world

It's a popular tradition in each family to adobe them today, the day of the Immaculate Conception. But in most places around the world, the lighting of the city Christmas tree has become a real event.

New York

Rome

First signs of Christmas

I recently read, that Rome cannot compete with Paris, London or New York with regard to Christmas spirit. I must admit that, although Romans are very much into Christmas celebrations, the city does not express their excitement with the same intensity. 
After having spent a dozen years in the Italian capital, I have noticed a growing impoverishment in the Christmas ornaments of the streets. When I moved to Rome the central Via Condotti looked gorgeous: fir trees with big red bows and lights adorned the sides of the road, and a long red carpet ran along the entire route. But 3 days later,

COMING SOON

Brueghel. Wonders of the Flemish art.
An unprecedented exhibition of masterpieces of the Brueghel dinasty will be hosted at Chiostro del Bramante from the 18th of December until the 3rd of June 2013.

The exhibition traces the history and the exceptional talent of the most important race of Flemish artists active between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, through paintings, drawings and graphics of its greatest exponents.
Opening hours: Monday/Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.    Saturday/Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
http://www.romeguide.it/mostre/bruegel/bruegelchiostrobramanteeng.html

(Christmas) ace in the hole. N.2

Close to the church of St. Louis of the French, that boasts three world renowned canvases of Caravaggio (The Calling of St Matthew, The Inspiration of Saint Matthew and The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew), is located a shop, that carries an incredibly wide range of design objects, ExArte.

Among others, I loved these wall clocks, depicting the most famous Rolex watches

and these coffee cups with a tray similar to those for pastries

as well as this set of magnetized knives, having an unbelievable sharp blade.

But the choice is much wider: bottles, glasses, vases...

...and also Christmas decorations, pieces of furniture, table cloths, radios, technological telephones, trendy bags, bookends in the shape of a capital letter and much much more.

This was my favorite: a silver crouched man looking like a bird.

And having space at home, why not this table football to have fun during winter afternoons?

(Christmas) ace in the hole. N.1

During the last few years, every time I wanted to give something different and unusual, I bought a SMART BOX. 

A SMART BOX is a voucher, that has the form of a booklet, containing innumerable offers of the same gift. The choice of possible gifts varies from box to box: from a simple brunch to a gourmet dinner, from a massage to a weekend at a SPA, from a night at a city hotel to two at a castle, including all the possible combinations of all the above. A special section is dedicated to sport activities and adrenaline adventures, such as driving a Ferrari, or jumping from a plane with a parachute. 
Furthermore the recipient can use his voucher not only when, but also where, he prefers. Indeed, it is valid for 2 years and its affiliated partners (hotels, restaurants, Spas...) are scattered everywhere, both in Italy and in Europe.

Usually sold in book shops, but also online, its cost starts from 24,90 up to 269,90 Euros.
Excluding kids, this is a present that suits most of the people, no matter their age.

What's your (Christmas) ace in the hole ?

And here we are. 
The first decorations start to peep in some shop windows, just to remind us that another year has almost gone and Christmas' s at the door. And this means, that we will soon be overwhelmed by days of frenetic shopping and of running around the city in search of that "special present", that has no name yet. Days of rush and of interminable queues. Days spent looking for a parking place and for a dazzling gift. In one word: stressful days of chaos.

To avoid this waste of energy, I have a plan: to collect from each of you, and disclose to all of you through my blog, those gift tips that will hopefully help all of us to cope with Christmas shopping with a relaxed state of mind and clear ideas. 
Send me an e-mail saying in which object, store or flea market, you have found an answer to the eternal dilemma behind the question, "OMG, what gift?".
And do not forget to involve your friends and all those from whom you may receive a valuable suggestion! 


As the Greek fabulist Esopo said: "Unity is strenght". And in this case, our strenght means our survival to pre-Christmas time!! :))

E-mail to: gwen.nyork@gmail.com

COMING SOON

Jacovitti 1939-1997

---

Contemporary art.
"Among the leading figures in Italian illustration, Jacovitti crossed sixty years of Italian history with brilliant irony, representing a significant and emblematic landmark. The exhibition represents an opportunity to explore the many facets of the artist's work."

Museum of Ara Pacis from November, 30 until January 27, 2013. Closed on Mondays.

The flood of the Tevere

Yesterday, Rome had to cope with various problems: strikes, demonstrations and, therefore, traffic congestion. But none of them was so scary as the flood of the Tevere, that caused the closure of some main roads. 

A sweet Saturday

Nothing is as pleasant to me as sharing moments of life with those I love. It doesn't matter what we share, it matters that we do it. So, when on Saturday my daughter asked me to take her downtown for lunch, as to have a deserved break from her huge amount of homeworks, I was more than happy to spend a few hours with her.

She was actually looking for a winter jacket, but while walking down Via Borgognona, we could not avoid entering Ladurée's newly opened shop.

COMING SOON

Momix at Teatro Olimpico
The renowned company of dancers-illusionists, famous for its extraordinary capacity to evoke surrealistic images through costumes and suggestive plays of light and shade, will be back in Rome from the 13th to the 20th of November. 

Directed by American choreographer Moses Pendleton, Momix celebrates its 30th anniversary performing "Momix ReMix". This last show is a collection of the company's most beautiful dance pieces, and it embraces the whole of its activity, from "Momix Classics" to "Bothanica". It will also include "Baths of Caracalla", a tribute to the city of Rome.

www.momix

A nice detour: Aventino

Yesterday it was one of those days when I did not want to stay at home. 
So I decided to have my usual "aperitif" at Eataly

and to snoop a bit around the shelves. The offer is such that it's impossible to

COMING SOON

Rome Film Festival at Auditorium Parco della Musica

From November,9 until November,17, the 7th edition of the Rome Film Festival will take place at the arts complex designed by Renzo Piano, Auditorium Parco della Musica.

Italian actress Claudia Pandolfi will host both the opening and the closing ceremony.

Jeff Nichols -director, screenwriter and author- will chair the jury, composed of seven other leading figures in the world of cinema and culture.

Movie calendar

It happened today

1512 A.D.: after 4 years of hard work, Michelangelo finally finishes to paint the 1000 square meters  frescoes of the Cappella Sistina in Rome. The Chapel is located in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope.

Paintings, fountains and Hard Rock...Café !

If you haven't reserved the entrance tickets to the exhibition of Vermeer at Le Scuderie del Quirinale, expect to stand in queue for at least 35 minutes. 

After all, it's not a big deal. Queuing is sometimes interesting, especially when you're surrounded by

Flea and Antique markets on Sunday, 28

Antique market 
Location: Largo della Giustiniana
Opening at 9.00 a.m. until sunset, it showcases various types of objects, such as prints, paintings, modern art, china and silver as well as craftsmanship.

Borghetto Flaminio Flea Market
Location: Piazza della Marina, 32
Five pavilions with more than 200 stands full of curious objects: from bags and belts to vinyl records, from chandeliers to toys, from extravagant bijoux to vintage clothing and telephones. Uptown ladies come here to discard their beautiful wardrobe. 
Explora, the Childrens' Museum, is right next door.
Opening at 10.00 a.m.

COMING SOON

Ennio Morricone in concert
Who doesn't know Ennio Morricone? Composer, orchestrator and conductor, he has scored over 400 films working with many Italian and international directors, such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Pierpaolo Pasolini, Brian de Palma, Oliver Stone, Roman Polanski and Pedro Almodovar, just to name a few.

During his long career, Morricone has received innumerable prizes, that include 1 Grammy Awards, 3 Golden Globes and 5 Oscar nominations.

His most famous film soundtracks include Cinema Paradiso, The Untouchables, Once upon a time in America, The Mission and U-turn.

On November 16 he will perform at the Palalottomatica in Rome. He will also hold concerts in Milan, Bologna, Turin and Florence. To buy tickets, visit www.ticketone.

A weekend in the name of art

Somehow, I am proud of myself for having visited the exhibition "Guttuso 1912-2012". Until last Friday, I was absolutely sure I did not like his paintings, but then I realized, that my judgement dated back to a long time ago. And remembering Thoreau's quote: "Things do not change, we change", I wondered whether my artistic taste had changed meanwhile.  If so, why not approaching Guttuso's art once again? After a few phone calls, I had all set: friends, tickets and a late evening dinner reservation.

COMING SOON

Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar at Palazzo Sciarra
Opening on October, 23, the exhibition titled: "Akbar the great. Emperor of India", will feature 150 works, that testimony the splendor of the Moghul court. Paintings, book illustrations, rare carpets, objects and weapons will evoke the historical and social environment under the reign of Akbar, who has been a highly enlightened sovereign of the XVI century.
Palazzo Sciarra will be open from Tuesdays through Sundays, from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Parco dei Mellini

Among the numerous, and most popular, parks of Rome, Parco dei Mellini surely deserves a special mention. Not only because it is the seat of the Astronomical Observatory and Copernican Museum,

but also because it is a natural reserve particularly beautiful. 
The easiest entrance to the park is located where Via Trionfale intersects the so-called Panoramica. On the right hand side of the street, a road, surmounted by an ancient arch, leads both to

Caffé delle Arti at Museum of Modern Art

On September 22, the exhibition "Warhol: headlines" ended at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome. After a great success.

On the left side of the same building, "Caffé delle Arti" is a great location to

COMING SOON

Renato Guttuso at the Complesso del Vittoriano
In occasion of the centenary of Guttuso's birth, the city of Rome celebrates the sicilian artist with a major exhibition opening today, October, 12. The aim of the retrospective, that will feature 100 of his works, is to show the whole creative path of his artistic activity, that was also influenced by artists devoted to different disciplines.

"Guttuso 1912-2012" 
Oct,12 - Feb,10 2013

An extremely elegant way to share a personal success

The other day I bought a magazine, that came with a brochure promoting the 10th anniversary of the famous Louis Ghost chair. In the back cover I read this: 

About art and emotions

If you're going to visit the beautiful exhibition at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, do not miss the movie, that retraces the history of Paris through the shoots of Robert Doisneau.
As I watched it, I wondered whether I love photographs more than videos. And I still have no answer. Because if the first ones immortalize an instant and fix it in a single image, the second ones capture a sequence of movements and record a sound or a voice, which would be otherwise lost.
What I am sure of, instead, is that I have been caught by a poignant sense of time passing, while observing all the photos of "Paris en Liberté".

Free entrance ticket !

Tomorrow night, October 6, is "La Notte dei Musei".

From 8 p.m. until 1 a.m., entrance to the major museums of the capital will be free of charge. 

Both Palazzo delle Esposizioni (Robert Doisneau) and Scuderie del Quirinale (Vermeer) participate to this event!

For more info, check the site: http://en.museiincomuneroma.it/

How beautiful were those days

When I was young, but very young, school started the 1st of October and ended right after mid-June.
We had three full months of vacation. 
It didn't matter, where we would have gone or what we would have done: not going to school was enough to BE on holiday.

To those few, owning a beach house, summer meant moving and changing town and habits for a while. Each year, a renewed adventure, substantially consisting in rediscovering places -and all the changes that had meanwhile occurred- and friends who, year after year, had grown a bit, had new interests and higher goals in life. 
The first get together, after nine months spent away from each other, was tremendously exciting.

Quote of the day

Unfortunately, Stendhal was right. When love is involved, too often what seemed a good match, turns out to be the wrong one.
So, let's give time to every relationship. Because, if the other's good sides are the first to be seen (and shown), the worst ones are always kept hidden, for as long as possible. 
If, despite them, the glance in our eyes does not fade, then, and only then, we can hope to have chances it will work.

A September Saturday

I know, I usually meet my friends on Sunday, but since we all would have been busy on that day, we decided to anticipate our weekly meeting. With some changes...
I CYCLED from the Admiralty to Piazza Campo de' Fiori that, every day (except for Sundays) and since centuries, hosts a famous and beautiful market, which opens from

Coming soon (Doisneau)

Robert Doisneau at Palazzo delle Esposizioni

How nice it will be this fall, from the point of view of art!
Starting September, 29 and until February 3, 2013 a major retrospective will celebrate this famous photographer and his love for La Ville Lumière. It will be the first of a series of exhibitions dedicated to the French photography of the XX century.
"Paris en liberté", this is its title, will feature more than 200 original photographs taken by Doisneau (1912-1994) between 1934 and 1991. 
Organized according to their themes and subjects, the exhibition will take the spectator through parisian parks and along the river Seine, in the streets of the city center and in its suburbs as well as in bistros and fashion galleries.

For all those loving Doisneau and Paris in particular, this is an event not to be missed!