…is not something I happen to give much thought to, but I have been noticing the early morning and late evening sun creeping around to visit my north facing windows over the past few days, plus the fact that our neo-classical faux Roman villa Academy facade is lighting up orange in a way that is ..

Read more

…is the most idyllic and purely conceived of hilltop Lazian towns which we have made a Sunday pilgrimage to, around Monti Cimini and dominated by the great pentagonal Renaissance genius of Villa Farnese (where upon entry into its hollow cylindrical central courtyard we were drawn by sounds of  Mozart into the first great painted room ..

Read more

…has been home for almost a year, things move around everyday, people get confused when the desk is in a new place on each of three consecutive daily visits, things come in and out, a pile of pine cones gathers in one corner, bay leaf branches dry out, piles of glass jars accumulate and collect ..

Read more

…the storied piece of hilly agricultural land within a nature reserve, north of town, off the Via Cassia, and just outside of the Grande Raccordo Anulare, is where I surprisingly find myself wandering the fields of wheat today – after having written about my inspiring read of the 1984 book “How to Imagine: a Narrative ..

Read more

…is what I have been up to (as any Italian friend who I have bored with endless Puglia talk and questions over the past six months knows well), becoming increasingly fascinated by and fixated on this most southeastern region of Italy (heel of the boot) the more I learn – like their gay green anti-mafia ..

Read more

…the 16th century hill top residence designed by Giulio Romano, now owned by the Republic of Finland, was the site of the first day of the conference History and Environment in the  Ancient Mediterranean “…bringing together scholars and scientists from a broad range of disciplines to discuss the effects of climate, urbanization, and the use ..

Read more

…that I am organizing at the American Academy in Rome for June 23rd has just been announced – spread the word to Roman friends…. HUNGRY CITY: ROME – an evening with CAROLYN STEEL, British architect, lecturer, and author of ‘Hungry City’ on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at the AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME at Via Angelo ..

Read more

…is the obliquely titled and themed 1990 book by Richard Sennett that I just finished reading which is about the divides between inner experiences and outer lives in urban spaces through time – continuing my on-going year of ‘stewing’ on a general constellation of loosely connected ideas – an expanding series of topics – an ..

Read more

…filled Circo Massimo (where ancient Romans raced chariots, staged mock ship battles, and held religious festivals) with a reported million people – for a speech and a couple of songs on piano tonight – concluding the parade that started at Piazza della Repubblica, marched through the city, down Via dei Fori Imperiali, around the Coliseum ..

Read more

…is what I am always most keen to visit whenever I find myself back in town, and this morning on my way to meetings at the Hayward Gallery I make my garden pilgrimage to the corner of Webber and Lancaster in Southwark to check on it’s current status, where I immediately find Denise Withers – ..

Read more

…presenting their first public performance of new work in Tate Modern‘s Turbine Hall tonight was a lucky stroke for me, having just arrived in town this morning, and being such a super big Michael Clark fan (by way of his films with Charles Atlas – who did the lighting for tonight’s show, and who we ..

Read more

…the New York based Spanish artist gave a talk about his work this evening – including the pioneering 1994 internet art project The File Room created back in the olden timey days before most people even knew what www was – and inaugurated exhibitions at the American Academy in Rome and down the hill at ..

Read more

…a massive architects gathering in it’s first year in Perugia – is where I headed this morning to hear from a few of the endless  list of design world personalities partaking in a four day series of talks, events and conversations including Aaron Betsky, Petra Blaisse (who described some recent garden and curtain projects), Stefano ..

Read more

…last night, just after an errant storm passed over delivering a bit of cooling rain,  was enjoyed on long rooftop garden-side peony-centered table set in the colorful vintage linens laid out by Academy friend Siena – who acquired them Porta Portese (defying my assumption that everything there was junkie) – and to eat we made ..

Read more

…is the spectacle I was greeted to after racing down the Gianicolo on my bike – with 80 heads of state in attendance (including U.S. V.P. Biden whose motorcade I had to avoid after Carabinieri were yelling at me to pull off to the side of Corso Emanuelle II – later finding out he was ..

Read more

…is the medieval hill town we have traveled an hour north of Rome to visit this morning – having been on the top of my list of obscure places to visit in Italy for years – which was the supposed home of the Holy Prepuce (foreskin of Jesus) and later condemned and vacated in the ..

Read more