Monday, December 12, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Heavenly Profiteroles !
No good for the diet, but my painters are on holiday too !
Today is WORLD PASTA DAY so Chef is making fresh tagliatelle with buttery funghi (mushrooms).
Today is WORLD PASTA DAY so Chef is making fresh tagliatelle with buttery funghi (mushrooms).
Sunday, October 23, 2011
UMBRIALICIOUS ! Looks too good to eat BUT is actually TRULY DELICIOUS TO EAT !
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Exciting News from Ursula Sykes a tutor with us for next year !
Ursula, was recently invited to take part, with a group of her students from Littlewick Arts in a pilot programme with Rolf Harris Art Road Show, together with Arabella Dorman, to be broadcast on BBC 1.
For more information on Ursula’s classes in the United Kingdom, please visit her website www.littlewickarts.co.uk you can follow her on Twitter @littlewickarts or you can see more information about next years courses and her dates on www.arteumbria.com
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Stars gather at Arte Umbria & the Venice Film Festival !
Lights, Camera, Action: Venice Film Festival take 68
As the sun sets on this year's Summer, this can only mean one thing: The oldest and one of the most important film festivals in the whole world is here again. The Venice Film Festival is currently taking place, having started on August 31st and ending on September 10th.
The festival is not only a showcase for some of the best, most innovative new films from all around the world, it also recognises the cream of global film-making with awards such as the Leone D'Oro (The Golden Lion) and the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup). The Leone D'Oro is awarded to the best film showcased at the festival, while the Coppa Volpi is given to the best actor and actress. Another notable prize is that of the San Marco Award. This was first introduced in 2002, and is given to the best film of the Controcorrente section – which translates as “Against The Stream”.
The festival dates back to 1932 when it was founded by Italian businessman and politician, Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata. The Esposizione d'Arte Cinematografica became a key new innovation of the 18th annual Venice Biennale. The festival took place on the terrace of the Hotel Excelsior on the Venice Lido and attracted an impressive crowd of more than 25,000. Even in these early days, the festival saw the potential in new films that would go on to become influential classics in the future: Frank Capra's It Happened One Night. King Vidor's The Champ. James Whale's Frankenstein. Fans of the horror genre may also like to note that the first film to be screened on the first day of August 6th 1932 was Rouben Mamoulian's Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde.
The competitive aspect of the Venice Film Festival would arise two years later in 1934, when 19 countries would take part. Although there was no official jury, the awards were introduced by the President of the Biennale, after noting the views of both audiences and experts. The award for Best Foreign Film that year went to a documentary, Flaherty's Man Of Aran: an indication of the diverse range of styles on display at the Venice Film Festival. The festival would grow in stature over the next few years, although the Second World War meant that it wouldn't take place between the years 1943 and 1945. It would begin again in 1946, and the following year would see a record audience of 90,000, where the festival was held in the courtyard of the Ducal Palace. Two years later, the festival would return to the setting of the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido.
The following decade would see the Venice Film Festival build on its success and expand further internationally with the affirmation of Japanese and Indian films. Indeed, both countries became renowned for their unique brands of film, thanks to the influence of the Venice Film Festival. Rashômon, Akira Kurosawa's 1951 film, won the Golden Lion award in 1951, beginning the start of recognition for Japanese film-makers such as Kon Ichikawa and Kenji Mizoguchi. Likewise, the merits of Indian film were recognised in 1957 when a Golden Lion was awarded to Satyajit Ray's Aparajito. French cinema was also spotlighted at the Venice Film Festival during this time with directors like Robert Bresson, Marcel Carnè and Louis Malle making their presence felt. The Venice Film Festival was going from strength to strength, and in recognising highly influential international film-makers such as Ingmar Bergman or Luis Buñuel, the event was one of the most important for global cinema.
The rise of international film making continued in the early 1960s, and by 1963, during the era of Luigi Chiarini, the Venice Film Festival would take a balanced approach to recognising the talents of well-known big names and forthcoming talent. However, owing to the political climate in 1968, this particular festival was the last to award the Golden Lion until 1980. The festival was non-competitive between the years of 1969 and 1972, and during the mid-1970s, it attempted a different approach under the stewardship of Giacomo Gambetti, with proposals for new films, tributes, retrospectives and conventions.
After a somewhat mixed decade for the Venice Film Festival, things got back on track in time for the 1980s, as new director Carlo Lizzani won back international acclaim. The Golden Lion award was reintroduced in 1980, and there was a new section, Mezzogiorno-Mezzanotte that not only recognised remakes, 'eccentric' films but also stylish big blockbuster films. Given that the early 1980s saw spectacular Steven Spielberg-helmed greats such as ET or Raiders Of The Lost Ark, this was a logical step, and by now, the Venice Film Festival was the standard for other festivals all over the world. During the 1980s, the festival celebrated film-makers of the time as well as saluting those from the past. The late 1980s saw Guglielmo Biraghi become director – Biraghi brought an eclectic mix to the table with a greater emphasis on showcasing experimental, unusual types of film-making.
And to the present day, the Venice Film Festival has continued to attract some of the biggest screen stars around – Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino received Golden Lions for Career Achievement, while the blockbuster spectaculars welcomed the likes of Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington and Nicole Kidman. The latest festival has already seen the likes of Madonna, Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet promoting their new films.
The 68th Venice Film Festival boasts a strong line-up in 2011. The world première films include Tomas Alfredson's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, starring Gary Oldman and Colin Firth; David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method starring Keira Knightley and Michael Fassbender, plus George Clooney's The Ides Of March which features Clooney himself, with Marisa Tomei and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The festival continues its reputation for showcasing the best in international cinema with a global line-up that encompasses Italy, the UK, Japan, France and Argentina. A mixture of the famous and the fledglings; the spectacular films and the introspective experimentals; the present and the past: the Venice Film Festival continues to be the most influential event of its kind.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Genoa Village Honors Faithful Dogs in Annual August Ceremony
For the dog lovers amongst us
Camogli beach
Since 1962, man’s best friend has been honored in San Rocco di Camogli every 16 August. The small town near Genoa has been celebrating doggie loyalty for nearly 50 years.
The tradition in San Rocco was born from the faithfulness of a famous dog named Pucci. Pucci found his way to San Rocco after being abandoned by his owners. Every morning for ten years, the pup would wait in front of the church for children on their way to school.
After accompanying them to class, Pucci the dog would wait for them to be released for recreation hour to play and eat whatever food they offered. He would then walk them back from school to church.
Inspired by the loyalty of the dog, Giacinto Crescini came up with the idea of starting a Dog Loyalty Award, tying the honor to the feast of San Rocco, patron saint of the village and, coincidentally, the protector of dogs.
Since the first award that went to Pucci in 1962, many memorable dogs have been recognized. Perhaps the most incredible story of loyalty is attributed to Ares the Doberman, who led helpers back to his owner when the man became trapped under a collapsed gate.
The Minister of Tourism, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, is expected to attend today's canine festivities.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Venice Reaches Tourism Snapping Point
With the Rialto Bridge in desperate need of repairs, increased flooding, and residents in an uproar over crowds, Venice has reached a breaking point.
Last week, Venetian police announced that the city was officially closed to cars because they had simply run out of room. Bridges were backed up, parking lots were clogged and the extra traffic was wreaking havoc on daily life.
It seems as though the island city has hit full capacity. Venice cannot accommodate more visitors without further risk to its delicate landmarks.
The numbers are simply astounding- the small northern Italian city hosts up to 60,000 tourists a day from April to October during the high season.
Now frantic for new funds, the city of Venice has decided to levy a tourism tax on visitors staying overnight.
Officials had initially toyed with the idea of charging an entrance fee at the train station, airport or cruise terminal. However, the plan that will go into effect on 24 August will only tax overnight guests. A 5 Euro charge per person will be added to hotel bills.
Critics condemn the additional tax is a rash attempt to salvage the city from overuse and destruction that will come as too little too late. Many argue that the current situation could have been avoided if planning and oversight had been a part of the city’s tourism strategy from the beginning.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Befana – broomsticks, babies and biscuits – an Italian holiday tradition
Little Bit Early, but interesting none the less
Befana
In Italian folklore, La Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout the country on Epiphany Eve – the night between 5 and 6 January. The Epiphany is the Christian feast day that commemorates the visitation of the biblical Magi to the baby Jesus.
Befana Cookies
Modern Italian Christian legend has it that the Magi invited Befana to join them on their journey to find the new-born Jesus, but she declined, being too busy with her housework and baking. Later, poor Befana had a change of heart. She quickly packed a sack with food and gifts for the baby, took her broom to help the new mother clean her house, and set out to catch up with the Magi. She searched and searched all through the night, but couldn’t find them, and to this day she is still searching alone for the little baby. On Epiphany Eve she goes to every house where there is a child and leaves a gift, just in case…
Befana wears a full dark skirt, apron with patch-pockets, shawl, crooked hat and worn out slippers. She is a smiling and good-hearted, if ugly, old lady, trying to make amends for what must be the mother of all errors of judgment. She flies over the rooftops on her broom, descending into the houses through the chimneys to fill the stockings that the children have left hanging out for her. The children also leave a small plate of food and a glass of wine by the chimney. The next morning, together with the gifts in their stockings, they find the snack is gone and there is a mysterious sooty hand print on the plate…
Befana’s origins are lost in time and history – descended from prechristian traditions and entwined in popular culture and folklore. One common belief is that her name derives from a mispronunciation of the Italian word ‘Epifania’, but there is also evidence to suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strenia, who presided over the Roman new year celebrations and gift-giving – ‘strenna’ is a word still used in Italian for gifts given around the Christmas and New Year period. What is certain is that Befana predates Christianity, and has probably been integrated into the Christian calendar in the way that many pagan customs were adopted by the new Church. Italian anthropologists Claudia and Luigi Manciocco, in their book “Una Casa Senza Porte” (House Without Doors) actually trace Befana’s origins back to Neolithic beliefs and practices. On a lighter note, many Italian children simply believe that Befana is Santa Claus’ wife and lives at the South Pole. Santa Claus cannot always satisfy every child’s requests, so Befana tries to make amends…
Befana stocking
Like Santa Claus, she is remarkably quick on her delivery rounds. There are nearly 8.5 million under-14′s in Italy, and even estimating a generous 2 kids per household (the reality is that the average family unit in Italy is composed of just 2.8 individuals, and if we assume there are 2 adults, that leaves just .8 of a child…) that means Befana has to make 97 deliveries per second for 12 continuous hours without even pausing for an espresso!
Most towns in Italy have some sort of event organised for the Befana. Last year in Lucca, she flew into one of the town squares riding on a bicycle suspended from a crane. Suspending my disbelief alongside her bicycle, I joined the wide-eyed children gathered in the square below. A chorus of breathless Oohs and Aahs accompanied her slow and magical descent from the starry evening sky, followed by a speedy and not-so-magical stampede for the goodies she had in her sack as soon as she touched ground – not unlike the opening of the doors at Harrods’ January sales.
BEFANA house
I have also met the Befana in Fibbiano, a tiny ‘borgo’ or hamlet with a population of just 50, in the hills between Lucca and Camaiore. On the evening of January 5th, all the parents secretly prepared the stockings for their little treasures, labeling them carefully with their names, and leaving them hidden outside their front doors. At some point in the evening while we were having dinner, the stockings mysteriously disappeared. A couple of hours later the Befana rolled noisily into town on a tractor decked out with fairy lights, and distributed the stockings to the amazed and delighted children. Well, not all were delighted – my son was too small and too sleepy to cope. When faced with the Befana, crooked hat and warty nose, he dissolved into tears on my shoulder. The sweet and crunchy Befana biscuits he found in his stocking were a great consolation though.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Italy Braces for Weekend Heat Wave
After a small break that brought storms and showers, Italy is preparing for a scorching weekend heat wave.
The already high temperatures will climb even higher as hot air from the Sahara makes its way up to Italy.
The African heat wave is expected to bring the hottest temperatures to central Italy. Experts predict that the mercury will rise well above 35°C (95°F) in the most affected areas.
The above average temperatures will be accompanied by high humidity as well, making it the perfect time to escape the city and head for Italy’s top 10 beaches or most beautiful parks.
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