Sicilian Wine Tour June 29, 2011

Before I even get into writing about this experience, I want to let you know that I am, by no means, a wine expert!  My post is definitely written as a “regular” wine consumer, and therefore my descriptions and explanations are very simplified!  

 This past weekend, I had the pleasure of being an interpreter for a group of 6 family run wineries from Sicily that are on a USA tour promoting their unique wines!  The tour has been named the X Wine Tour 2011. The wineries are looking to bring their wine talents to the San Francisco Bay Area and therefore had a presentation to members of the wine and restaurant industry.  At times, my translating skills were put to the test when the technical aspects of wine production were discussed…but, as in all languages, when you don’t know the exact term, you find a work around!  Even though my translations probably weren’t very “wine-specific”, I think I was able to make myself understood!

During the presentations at the press event by each winery on Sunday at the Italian Consulate,  I learned so much about wine production in Sicily, and the uniqueness of their wines and grapes.  Sicily is an island where the sun plays a huge part in the final wine product, thus leading to a sweeter grape (and also a higher alcohol content!).  The terrain and the various altitudes where the grapes are grown also contribute to their uniqueness.  Sicily has grapes that are indigenous to their island.  thus creating wines varieties that are only produced there.   They also produce wines with ”international” grapes, but these as well,  take on a totally different aspect because of Sicily’s particular characteristics.

The two wineries I assisted with produced totally different wines.  The first one, FINA, produced red and white wines – some with indigenous grapes and others with “international” ones.  I learned that the typical Sicilian variety of red wine, Nero d’Avolo, is widely produced and distributed worldwide.   But what the wine merchants wanted to stress was that Sicily produces so much more than just Nero d’Avolo!  The indigenous white wine grapes had lovely names with  Grillo and Zibibbo being my favorites!

The second winery I interpreted for, CANTINE INTORCIA, only made Marsalas and dessert wines.  But their Marsalas were different than the norm.  They had a very dry Marsala, Marsala Vergine Soleras,  which, when chilled, could be served as an aperitif with cheese.  Serving this very same Marsala at room temperature completely changed the palate and pairing it with biscotti or even meats was great!  Who ever thought of Marsala as a dinner or apertif type of wine?  But because the Marsala is dry, it lends itself to this.  I also had the pleasure of experiencing the sweet wonder of their Passito – the wine produced from those grapes that have dried on the vine.

The information I gained was so interesting – and the best was that I was exposed to that unique “continent” which is Sicily!  The Sicilians very affectionately call their island a continent….and now I see why!  It has a character all its own, with a history so diverse and intriguing that it could easily be a continent unto itself.  Even though they are technically part of Italy, their land is different and their people have a character all their own.  I’m just thankful that they speak a language that I can communicate in, so that when I do visit it (which will be very soon, I hope), I can experience it to the fullest!

The Pinnacle of Posh….Venice’s Hotel Danieli June 23, 2011

Oh, the palaces of Venice!!!  They are incredible  mixtures of architecture, art and science!  A few years ago, we were fortunate enough to stay in one of these beautiful palaces which, as many others,  has now been converted into a hotel.  This particular hotel is now known as the Hotel Danieli.  Being that we are Starwood members, and this hotel is part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection, we cashed out some Starpoints to stay here!!  This made our stay so much more affordable!  And what an experience it was!  Upon arriving at the hotel, we were greeted in the posh lobby by a very polished concierge. 

 As per my modus operandi, I asked if there were any available upgrades.  He informed me that we were booked into an interior room, but he also had other rooms available with better views.  He graciously brought us to both rooms so that we could choose.  The rooms with the “better views” were absolutely divine!  They had the typical Moorish windows that looked out onto the Grand Canal! 

 Who wouldn’t want to stay in these rooms?  It was as if we were stepping back in time to the aristocratic ways of the Venetian nobility!  Yeah, it was bit noisy in the morning when all the city workers were about doing their jobs, but it was an experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world! 

My friend, the concierge, was a true Venetian and I knew because of the tell-tale sing song in his voice!  Being that I understand the Venetian dialect, and find it all too pleasant, I asked him to speak to me in “Venezian”.  Oh my goodness, he was SO content!  I quickly became the belle of the hotel!!!  We were showered with a bottle of wine and two boxes of exquisite chocolates “for our enjoyment”!  The next morning when my husband went down to the lobby, Mr. Concierge asked him how “la signora” was doing!  What fun I was having!  I felt like I was a princess for a few days   But, after thinking about it, this type of hotel probably treats ALL their guests like this!  And that is why they are as successful as they are – every patron is treated like royalty!  But I don’t care – I will take being treated like a princess any day!

The Hotel Danieli is actually a conglomeration of three old palazzi which have been connected to form one hotel.  This is very common in Italy, and I’ve seen it from Milan to Rome!  The palazzi date back as far as the 14th century and they were once home to a very influential Venetian family, the Dandolos.  This family boasted having four doges in its lineage.  The Palazzo Dandolo was one of the most intricately designed palaces in all of Venice, and many high society events took place here.  In the XVI century, the buildings were split amongst family members and sold to new aristrocratic owners in the XVII century.  These families hired famous musicians and artists into their homes, and many musical masterpieces were debuted here.  One such piece was Proserpina Rapita by Giulio Strozzi with music by Monteverdi.

After the fall of the Venetian Republic, the palazzos fell into disrepair.  In 1824, a hotel innkeeper from Friuli bought the palazzos and converted them into a posh hotel after extensive and authentic restorations were done on the buildings.  Further restorations and improvements were done over the years…with the very impressive result being the current and beautiful Hotel Danieli.

George is Back on the Market!!! June 22, 2011

 

So, I guess it’s official:  The love story between George Clooney and his Italian supermodel girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis, is officially over.  There’s been talk about the romance cooling off in recent months…and that George was reaching his one to two year commitment limit….so this news isn’t exactly earth shattering.  Here’s an article from Donna Moderna which highlighted this morning’s news!  This is a bit tabloid-ish, but entertaining none-the-less!  And I don’t care what the tabloids are speculating, but George is still gorgeous

Abbiamo seguito tutta la loro storia, dai primi avvistamenti insieme sul lago di Como, passando per i sospetti si trattasse di un mutuo contratto anzichè di amore, fino alle voci su possibili nozze.

Di oggi è invece la notizia della loro rottura. Lo hanno dichiarato in un comunicato congiunto che recita, non stiamo più insieme. È molto difficile e molto personale, per questo speriamo che venga rispettata la nostra privacy.

L’annuncio arriva da Londra, dove l’attore di Hollywood è impegnato nelle riprese di un nuovo film, ma parla per voce anche di Elisabetta.

Sono molte le domande (tutte cattivelle) che ci stiamo facendo in redazione in questo momento:
- Resteranno amici oppure la verità è che i due non sono mai stati altro che amici?
- Lei piangerà anche solo una lacrima?
- Son passati due anni giusti giusti dall’inizio dellal oro storia. Che sia scaduto il contratto “professionale” stipulato tra i due dei quali molti sparlavano?

**********************************************************************

We have followed their whole story, from their first sitings together on Lake Como,  to the suspicion that this was truly a love story,  all the way to the rumors of a wedding possibility.

But today comes the news of their breakup.  They confirmed it in a joint statement that reads:  We will no longer be together.  It is very difficult and very personal, therefore we hope our privacy will be respected.

The announcement comes from London, where the Hollywood actor is busy filming a movie; but he speaks for Elisabetta as well.

There are many questions (all of the them a bit mean) that we are asking ourselves at this moment:

1.  Will they remain friends, or perhaps there is the truth that they have never been anything other than friends?

2.  Will she cry only one tear?

3.  Exactly three years have passed since the beginning of their story.  Has the “professional” contract expired between the two that many have stipulated about?

 

Photo courtesy of Michael Loccisano

 

Orvieto’s Miracle June 21, 2011

Lately, it seems that everyone I know is going to Orvieto, a small town that sits high on a hill in Umbria.  Orvieto is one of those towns that lingers in your memory long after you have left it.  The tiny  streets that house loads of ceramic shops wind their way up the hill to the gorgeous Duomo and its piazza.  The facade of the Duomo is truly magnificent.  It is adorned with brilliant mosaics as well as three giant bronze doors.  The inside of the church is frescoed by many of the masters of Italian design.  But, one may pose the question of why such a small town has such a large and very impressive Duomo?  The answer lies in the fact that a very important Catholic feast day was born very close to the  site of this cathedral.  The feast day is Corpus Domini, and it is one of the prominent feast days in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar.  A miracle occured in a small town near Orvieto called Bolsena.  It was 1263 and a travelling priest who had been questioning his faith was saying Mass when the host began to bleed.  Pope Urban IV, who was staying in Orvieto at the time, declared this to be a miracle and decreed the Feast of Corpus Domini.  He needed a place to house this very important Church relic and therefore ordered a large cathedral to be built in Orvieto. 

Every year, during the Feast of Corpus Domini, which happens to be around the end of June, a large celebration occurs in Orvieto.  Thousands of people descend on the piazza, many dressed in period costumes.  There are flags, and trumpets, and armor….all the traditions of Renaissance Italy.  For the people of Orvieto, this is their special day.  Many of those that have moved away return to their hometown for this day to relive the tradition of their past.  It is a beautiful and traditional feast, and one I hope to myself witness one day.

Un Cuore Con Le Ali…and Some Deep Reflections June 14, 2011

This beautiful song by Eros Ramazzotti evokes various responses in me whenever I hear it.  The music, as always, is mesmerizing and artistically pleasing to the ear, but it’s the lyrics of this song that trigger my inner reflections.  I am instantly transported to Italy with  ci si trova in compagnia, sotto i portici del centro, alle uscite del metrò (We find each other, under the porticos of the city center, at the exits of the metro)…the old porticos of the ancient cities with the modern metro…it is so descriptive that I can easily picture myself in that same scene.

This song has a deeper message, though….it is a social commentary on Eros’ view of Italy’s youth culture back in 1985 (when the song was released).  He seems to be saying that the youth felt bored and trapped – they wanted to do so much and had desires to fly, but they weren’t capable of achieving those goals.  I’d be curious to understand why and what was holding them back…was it a stab at the government or the state of the Italian economy?  And would this song be pertinent in today’s world?  Perhaps someone from Italy can clue me in…but the song has a sad and desperate tone about it.  What do you think?

quando il cielo si fa scuro
e la notte cade giù
come intonaco dai muri
ci si trova in compagnia
sotto i portici del centro
alle uscite del metrò
per guardarci dentro
e parlare un pò…

ci hanno detto a muso duro
che per camminare soli
noi non siamo ancor maturi
e che siamo tutti uguali
ma un cuore con le ali
ce l’abbiamo solo noi
e nessuno sa
che presto volerà…

cosa si fa
cosa si fa questa sera
dove si va
dove si va fuori un’idea
prima che ci soffochi la noia…
cosa si fa, dove si va
questa sera…

per adesso si comincia
a girare la città
fino in fondo alla provincia
per i viali e per le piazze
a chiamare le ragazze
che ci aspettano di già
per vedere fuori
l’alba a colori…

che nessuno ha preparato
come il mondo che ci han dato
senza domandarci niente
è per questo che i pensieri
così grandi, così seri
ce li abbiamo anche noi
e nessuno sa
che fatica è…

fuori di te
fuori di te, fuori di testa
che gente è
che vita è e quanto ne resta
quella che vogliamo
non è questa
la carità, finta pietà
nessuno l’ha chiesta…

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

When the sky gets dark

And the night falls down

like plaster from the walls,

we find each other

under the porticos of the center

at the exits of the metro

to look within

and talk a bit…

They told us, with a stern face,

that to walk alone

we are not yet ready

and that we are all the same;

but a heart with wings

we are the only ones to have it

and nobody knows

that soon it will fly…

What are we going to do?

What are we going to do tonight?

Where are we going to go?

Where are we going to go…let’s have some ideas

before we suffocate from boredom…

What are we going to do, where are we going to go

tonight…

for now, we’ll start

by wandering the city

until the end of the province,

through the alleys and in the piazzas,

calling the girls

that have been waiting for us for a while now

to see outside the dawn and the colors…

Nobody prepared

the world that was given to us

Nobody asked us anything

and for this reason, the worries

so big, so serious

we have them, too

and no one knows

what hardship it is…

Outside of yourself,

Outside of yourself, out of your mind

What kind of people are there,

What kind of life is it and what remains

The life we want

Is not this one.

The charity, the false pity

No one asked for it….

Il Garofano….The Carnation….As a Flower of Love June 8, 2011

To continue with my “Flowers of Love” series….

Semplice e allegro, il garofano è un fiore che nasce spontaneamente, e che con altrettanta spontaneità comunica diversi messaggi d’amore (o dis-amore…) alla donna che lo riceve in dono, a seconda dei colori. Un garofano bianco esprime il candore di un amore puro, quello rosa significa che sei nel suo cuore e non potrà dimenticarti… ma se è giallo significa che lui è un po’ deluso, e se poi il garofano è rosso, che è un po’ arrabbiato. Se te ne regala un mazzo variegato… allora per lui sei davvero tutto!

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Simple and happy, the carnation is a flower that is born spontaneously, and with more spontaneity, it communicates different messages of love (or un-love) to the woman that receives one as a gift…depending on the color.  A white carnation expresses the candor of pure love…a pink one signifies that you are in his heart and he cannot forget you…but if it is yellow it means that he is a bit disappointed….and if it is red, he is a bit angry!  If he gives you a variegated bouquet…then you are everything to him!

The City Of Falling Angels June 6, 2011

Usually I read fictional novels, so when a co-worker gave me this non-fiction book to read, I was a bit skeptical. I wasn’t sure what to expect nor what the purpose of the book was. After all, the storyline read like a fictionalized story of the intrigue of Venice, complete with depictions of deceipt and mystery.

The book begins with the author’s arrival in Venice shortly after the devastating fire which burned the world-famous Venetian opera house, La Fenice.  What entails is the investigation into the fire and a determination as to whether the fire was a result of arson or pure negligence on the part of the crew working on the remodeling of the famous theater. The author interviews many members of Venetian society, and soon finds out about all the jealousies and back-stabbing going on behind the scenes. He finds that there are many who could easily be implicated, and some for good reason, into the event. Every one of these players, though, could also prove their innocence.  As a result, the true cause of the fire is never really discovered.                                           

The book is a portayal of the many facets which make up Venetian society…and the pride that the citizens of Venice have for their mysterious and beautiful city. Even though the famous opera house was burned, the aftermath of Venetian civic pride became even more evident and the personal ties involved in Venetian society was interesting to learn about.

If you are interested in a book which delves into the political and social underlyings of Venice, you will like this book. I found it mostly interesting, but I felt it moved a bit slowly and the in-depth character descriptions were a bit over-developed and long.

This book was read as part of the Italy In Book Challenge 2011.