is proud to present a:

Renaissance Concert Celebrating 500 Years of Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Thursday, November 20

Musica Venezia proudly presents a ITALIAN & GERMAN RENAISSANCE CONCERT on Thursday, November 20, celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Venice’s German cultural and commercial center.

The original “fondaco”, or warehouse building, was used as a commercial center, a palace, and the restricted living quarters of German merchants from the 13th century through the Napoleonic and Austrian rules. During that time, Venice fostered the Renaissance and became a city where the business of the world was transacted, and the German merchants played an important role. As savvy traders, they had their own fleet of ships laden with wine and oil lining the Grand Canal to fill the “fondaco” with their wares, and aided greatly in building a flourishing economy to sustain cultural endeavours. Currently, the building houses the Venice headquarters of the “Poste Italiane.”

The concert is a tribute to the history and heritage of Germans in Venice, and the independence represented by this true Italian Renaissance landmark. The performance will feature beautiful pieces by Italian, German and Flemish Renaissance composers before 1550 including Jacob Obrecht, Andrea Gabrieli, Hans Judenkuenig, Jacob Obrecht, Adrian Willaert, and Marco Cara. The instrumental ensemble includes a talented specialist in early keyboard music, Marija Jovanovic on spinet, accomplished artist Pier Paolo Ciurlia on lute, and flautist, Carolina Putica performing preferred selections.

The concert will be at 6 p.m. at the Chiesa Luterana at Campo SS. Apostoli, and it is free and open to the public.

Concert location: Chiesa Luterana at Campo SS. Apostoli

Concert time: 6 pm / 18:00

Tickets: Free admission, open to the public

Information: 041.528.1631

Detailed information:

www.musicavenezia.org

OK. W

That was then, this is now. House wine no longer has a mandate. So what’s changed?

Wines. Wines have changed. There is a bigger variety of better wines that cost less, especially when you can drink them in the country where they are produced, especially when they’re by a non-exporting producer. It’s a big a mistake to travel thousands of miles and not explore the non-house options, at least on occasion.

What is the difference between house and bottled wine, anyway? House wines are young, fresh, usually fruity (not sweet) and low in alcohol. They are the ideal accompaniment to panini, a quick primo between sightseeing, or anytime you are deciding between wine or an iced tea (the tea will cost more).

Sitting down to enjoy a four-course meal, though, merits drinking a wine chosen specifically to accompany it. These wines may will not be big, aged, or necessarily even famous (which too often depends more on the marketing budget than the quality of the wine). Indulging in a classic Italian meal that celebrates local cuisine is the ideal time to venture a better wine.

But how to choose? Most of us are intimidated by our lack of knowledge of wine, for a number of reasons. First, it’s not an original part of our culture. Although the U.S. (for example) produces some wonderful wines, unless you produce them yourself or are within a stone’s throw of Napa or Sonoma valleys, you probably don’t identify much with wine or winemaking. Then, there are more wines being produced all the time, all over the world, and unless it’s your business, the sheer number makes them that much more difficult to keep up with, let alone differentiate among. And, almost everything about the wine culture is confusing: the jargon, the labels, to the yet-to-be-completely-dismantled opinion that you have to have some special gift to “really” understand wine. The result? We depend on number rating to choose a wine. What does a number tell you about a wine? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. (I mean, if a wine isn’t good, why is the store where you’re shopping carrying it anyway?)

It’s only attention and experience that brings a greater wine understanding. Experience is a lot easier to come by (and costs less) when you live in a country whose wine sales not only comprise a significant percentage of the GDP, but that has been producing wine for hundreds of years.

The good news is, you don’t have to know very much to order an excellent, reasonably-priced bottiglia (or two, if you’re in a group) with your meal. Ask your server (or proprietor, or sommelier) for their recommendation…especially if it’s a place known for their wine list. Let them know what you want to spend, whether you have any preference you have as to white, red, fruity or dry, aged, or younger, higher or lower alcohol content, spumante or still (fermo), local, regional, or from anywhere. If this is a locale known for their wine list, just give them a price range and let them choose.

So is choosing the house wine a bad idea? Not necessarily…dipende. Try an appealing alternative ogni tanto…you won’t regret it.

Tcin Tcin!

Bustling Perseo did not disappoint, neither the first time I ate there, nor this one. There are fresh-cut vegetables on the table when you arrive; nothing pretentious, but munching them as opposed to bread or grissini (breadsticks) takes less of a toll on your appetite for the real food to come. The ribollita was the perfect warm-up for the stunning Fiorentina, which arrived sitting straight up on its ossa, with sizzling, serving-sized slices surrounding it. And the porcini? Mouth-watering, abbondante, and grilled to perfection, with just a touch of oilo e sale that did nothing but enhance the flavor of these marvelous morsels. A meal fit for a Medici, te lo dico io.

Perseus is quintessential Tuscan, quintessential Florentine. Comfortable, traditional surroundings, marvelous meats and an otherwise broad menu of all-things-roasted and regional delicacies, and home-made desserts; you can drink the house Chianti along or choose from a broad finer wine selection. Staff is friendly and energetic. You really can’t go wrong.

One word of warning: la bistecca is served rare, al sangue. Period. No one will ask you how you want it cooked. A good Fiorentina Chianina is an extraordinary meat, and to overcook it would be an insult, un gran peccato (I equate it to using 18k gold to caulk the bathtub, and have the same opinion about overcooking tuna). If rare meat is not to your liking, don’t order the Fiorentina, but instead opt for any one of the other delectables (meat and vegetable dishes both) you’ll find on the menu of this simpatico locale.

Ristorante PERSEUS

via Don Manzoni, 10 (click for map)
50129 Firenze

+39 055 588 226

Open for lunch and on Sundays
€20 and up (count on €40+ for the bistecca or specialties like porcini)

Be sure to reserve!

x

America, America

In one fell swoop, we have restored our faith in ourselves, and the world’s faith in us. Yes, we can…

• choose for intelligence, sanity, vision, reason, maturity…and grace.
• blatantly renounce the fear and cynicism used to manipulate us for decades; but instead, invite those who are still immersed in it to join us
• look beyond the color of a person’s skin for making a decision on how to vote
• embrace wholeheartedly once again the concept of community, nationwide and worldwide
• understand that this is America, the true spirit of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and that when we abandon it, we are nothing.

Only in America

Everyone says so, inside the country and out. All that is represented in this election is the torch Lady Liberty holds high, our value, our gift. We have once again reinvented ourselves, and returned to the pure, true spirit of our roots. We can be proud, but without arrogance. We are grateful, hopeful, determined, and humble. Humility: perhaps the greatest quality of all.

Obama will be a great president, but it will be a mistake to expect miracles from him. Those will occur as a result of sacrifice, cooperation, and a supreme effort to understand the other that will be required from all of us. Now, however, we’ll be able to take our cue from the White House. And, I expect, from the honorable John McCain.

We will not waste this opportunity. Not this time.

It will not be easy, but we can do it.

Yes, we can.

.

You have a dog, and you take it everywhere in giro: to the post office, in your boat, to the fresh market, into bars and restaurants, where it sits at your feet or on your lap as you chat.

You don’t walk the city with a camera or a map.

You give directions that include the bridges to cross but rarely the name of a calle or campo, and likely couldn’t name many unless they are principal thoroughfares or something you walk yourself on a regular basis.

You don’t try and board the vaporetto before the other folks have gotten off.

You don’t throw trash on the ground, but you throw your cigarette butt in the canal.

You never use the term Zanipolo to refer to SS Giovani e Paolo.

You’d never consider sitting on a bridge, a fondamenta, any steps, or in general eating anything anywhere except your house or a locale that serves food, and although are horrified at people who do, but would never consider saying anything to them.

You have no problem, however, informing someone in no uncertain terms that it is not acceptable to place garbage on the calle or fondamenta on a Sunday, knowing full well it won’t be picked up until Monday, and that we will have to smell your refuse all day long. It’s simply bad manners, maleducato. (Hanno anche ragione poi, feel free to follow their lead).

You know exactly how long it will take to get from San Stae to Rio Terà Secondo, from Via Garibaldi to Campo S.M. Formosa, from the Fondamente Nove to the Miracoli, and so on.

You’re rarely, if ever, late.

You have your own approach to navigating past endless groups of visitors who saunter 4-wide across narrow calli (as they don’t understand that there are people behind them that have to be somewhere).

You not only wear brightly colored pants of orange or green, you look good in them.

You’re familiar with the city, but with few of the hundreds of hotels and ad-hoc lodgings that have sprung up (and continue to spring) in recent years.

You look at a €100 price tag and think, “200.000 lira!?!”

________

(Hoping this will be an on-going list.)

WHEN: 7p, Friday, 31 Oct

WHERE: Chiesa degli Artigianelli
(Santa Maria della Visitazione), alle Zattere

WHO: Sara Bardino, Cristina Bertoldo,
a Fenice chamber orchestra, female-voice choir (I’ll be nestled among the soprani), all directed by Marco Paladin.

ENTRANCE: Gratis

Una Nuova Via Crucis for the Church of Santa Maria della Visitazione (or Chiesa degli Artigianelli), is a exhibition of contemporary sacred art. The exhibition is being held from Oct 31st ’til Nov 15th, but its opening is being heralded with a conference at 16.00, and an inauguration of the Via Crucis, 16 canvases donated by the Associazione Centro dell’arte, at 18.00.

At 7:00 pm, there will be a concert of the Pergolesi Stabat Mater along with the Rossini Quis est Homo (just for contrast).

The intimate, Rennaissance church (which has quite an involved history, but is the precursor to its neighbor, the opulent Gesuati), makes an ideal setting to experience this extraordinarily evocative work. You can also take the time to review the exhibition, explore the cloisters within, which are also connected to the Artigianelli religious cultural and conference center and lodging.

The music program lasts about an hour, and if you’ve never heard the Pergolesi Stabat Mater, I can only recommend that you prendere l’occasione…seize this opportunity.

Ci vediamo lì, allora?

Directions:

The church is located directly in front of the Zattere vaporetto stop. You can also reach it from the Accademia Bridge, just head straight for the Zattere. The entrance to the Artigianelli Cultural Center will be on the right (you can reach the church from inside) before you reach the Gesuati church, otherwise turn right at the Zattere and you’ll find the church just ahead on the right.

For more information about the event, location, and concert, call 041 522 4077.

At dinner with friends, it’s not unusual to have a specific wine chosen to accompany dessert (a Barolo, for it’s glorious reputation, would va molto male, for example.) A nice vin santo, a pleasing Picolit, or even Barolo Chinato (perfect for pairing with chocolate, for example), would be a welcome accompaniments to any dolce. But Prosecco? Fermo? Passito?

Well I never. And it’s just grand. Who knew? Can’t wait to try it on friends alla cieca at the next dinner and see if they can guess what it is!

Here’s the one we had (they produce a passito of Marzemino and Verdiso too, along with a series of Prosecco spumantizzato):

Vicenzo Toffoli, Refrontolo Conegliano

Even viewing the opera from the rafters, should that be the only ticket you can get your hands on, would still be well worth attending. I infortunately have no ticket-acquisition secrets, but you might consider showing up a hour before a matinee, for example, to see if any seats have been released.

But go. If you have the chance, go. Here’s the official Fenice website.

What a fuss there was when vaporetto Line 3 (for season ticket holders only) began plowing the waters of the Grand Canal last January. One article in a British newspaper referred to the “poor tourist” who was restricted to only those vaporetti that were more numerous, more frequent, and made faster progress up and down the canal. Since most tourists had no idea they couldn’t get on any boat they chose, as would be the case anywhere else in the world, you can imagine the casino that resulted, and on a regular basis. Ma.

If this made you unhappy too, you may now rejoice, at least for the rest of October. The experimental Line 3 has been deemed unprofitable and unmanageable, and even though the decision is not yet official, will be suspended as of Nov 1.  In a grand addio, anyone and everyone can now board it without fear of reprisal (you may have to wait a bit longer, of course, as it only arrives every twenty minutes).

Personally, although I enjoyed being on a vap from time to time without standing shoulder to shoulder, manuevering around bagagli enormi, and being whacked on regular basis with swirling backpacks, a few less motorboats on the Grand Canal won’t bother me in the least. Don’t know if this will actually be the case, as once Line 3 disappears, Line 1 will increasing its frequency from 10 minute intervals to 7 minutes, a definite plus for those of us who regularly arrive 5 seconds after our vap has eased away from the pontile.

As for that crabby journalist, I guess we’ll have to start looking around for something else he can complain about (although I have a feeling folks like him probably have a very long list).