…the fragrant yellow Mimosa tree native to Australia whose clouds of clustered of bright yellow pom-pom flowers are the first sign of spring in the Italian landscape, is already in full bloom out in the back garden – probably since it is protected in a warm little micro-climate by the massive Aurelian Wall that surrounds ..
Tag : Italy
…were looking at us as we were attempting to visit the Niki de Saint Phalle sculpture park of Il Giardino dei Tarochi which was closed, but the sheep were worth the trip…
…like all great medieval Italian hilltowns (we are in the Maremma of Southwest Tuscany), provides that brilliant vivid contrast between the feeling of dense urbanism on the inside, and the seemingly infinite expanse of rolling rural cultivated countryside on outside, just on the other side of the fortified walls – reminding me of my romantic ..
…just South of the Lago di Burano wildlife preserve, is where we have come this groggy afternoon to honor this first day of 2011, recover from a late night, soak up the few hours of winter sun, take naps on driftwood logs, gather shells, play games in the sand, go running, and for one brave ..
…is what I find myself assembling from the the wild landscape I find right out the door this afternoon as I settle in for a long cozy New Years weekend with ten Italian friends at a family weekend house near Capalbio in the Maremma region of southwest Tuscany – and tonight I am very proud ..
…the short film featuring Totò and Ninetto Davoli from the 1968 collection ‘Capriccio all’Italiana‘ – is actually bringing some tears to the eye tonite – especially the last moments of the last scene as Ninetto, a marionette version of Othello, looks up at the sky from the garbage pile where he has been dumped, exclaiming ..
…the 1968 film by the singular Italian genius and poet Pier Paolo Pasolini is what we were up late watching tonight, reminding me of another Italy not too long ago – and now I want nothing more than to descend into a Pasolini marathon and watch or rewatch everything. (..
…friends who are fellows at the Accademia Danimarca di Roma (housed in Danish design splendor in a 1967 structure designed by Kay Fisker near Villa Borghese) made me feel like I was also taking a little trip to Denmark today as eight of us packed into a VW van, donated by the former Queen of ..
…di TG5 (the flagship news program of the Mediaset empire owned by the ridiculous Silvio Berlusconi who first ascended to the throne of Italian Prime Minister in March 1994 while I was living in a rural Tuscan farmhouse as my exasperated Italian friends were freaking out and agonizing over the future of Italy – though ..
…was where I studied architecture from 1990-91 and did my thesis with Aldo Rossi – and today (a typical cold rainy lovely mess) it was my special pleasure to go back and give a lecture at that place I had once been such a young eager foreigner – and the students today seem so much ..
…in the Venice sestiere of Cannaregio where I lived from 1990-91, was the highlight of my day, involving a visit back to my old street, Calle Riello, only to find that the lady who sold us fruits and vegetables around the corner was still there selling fruits and vegetables – so of course I introduced ..
…at least 500 years old, southeast of Florence, just up the hills of Bagno a Ripoli, right after the tiny village La Fonte is where I lived from 1993-94, and it is where I went today with my old Italian friend who I first met there, Katia, with her energetic six year old son Ottavio ..
…of Southern Tuscany, the austere sensuous rolling terrain marked with cypress lines and clusters is one of my favorite all-time landscapes which even seems sacred and mystical speeding..
…are on fire right now in the most spectacular spectrum of shades from bright yellows to gaudy pinks and deep magentas which are also all to be found on one pixelated leaf. (more on ..
…is a medieval village (circa 1200) on a hill near Buonconvento in the province of Siena on Via Francigena, the historic pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, that has found new life as a very comfortable retreat – where I have the pleasure of retreating, hiking, reading, and being cozy inside on rainy days during ..
a great quote by architect Vittorio Gregotti shown during a conference presentation at the Swiss Institute ….was the title of this weekend’s conference produced by the Depart Foundation at the Istituto Svizzero di Roma – which was of special interest to me since I studied architecture at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia from ..
…is the Italian Fascist architect (1903 – 1963) who designed the Via Marmolata post office I passed on my evening walk through Testaccio (which is becoming my favorite part of town), and who was also responsible for the great Casa Malparte in Capri which I had the pleasure of visiting on an adventure in my ..
…is a mystical presence on the Roman skyline as seen from my window tonight. (Wikip..
…an account of his hastily planned 1786-87 trip south to escape his humdrum daily obligations in Germany and luxuriate in the Italian culture he had been dreaming about – is what I had the pleasure of reading while making a much speedier trip south yesterday, flying from Schiphol to Fiumicino in about 2 hours, where ..
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