#10 If you drink your cappuccino at the bar, it costs 1 euro, if you drink it while sitting at a table (even if you bought it at the bar), it costs more, usually double, and in some 'refined' places like in Piazza Signoria or Piazza della Republica, you pay enough for one cafe, that you should be able to take the table home with you.
#9 If you rent a place with a washing machine, be prepared to wait hours for a wash, most machines take 2 hours, then you have to hang it on the line to dry because dryers are scarce.
#8 At any time, for whatever reason, or without reason, there may be a 'sciopero' , the Italian word for 'strike'. I once had to take a train to Rome, and I was told that there would be a strike but a few trains would still be running. I went to the station, the train was on the board, and then 5 minutes before the train was due to go, the word 'sorpresa' was displayed. This meant, 'surprise, we got you, too'.
#7 Taxis: You watch the fare and get your money out as you drive up to your destination, then you look up and the driver has pushed the button. The fare had read 8.95 and suddenly, with a push of a button, it now says, 11.50. This is because a) you called the taxi, which is an added charge or b) it's after 10 or 11pm at night (which can be a different time, depending on the season, day of the week, and whether you are a woman or man) c) you have gone or come from the airport, train station or d) a new tariff applies or e) all of the above
#6 Hours: The rule about hours is that there is absolutely no rule, but some of the following 'customs' may or may not apply. And from whatever anyone tells you, no matter if it is the official website, the mayor, the owner of the store, or a government decree, you can always add the words, 'except not always.'
On Mondays, many stores are either closed or don't open until after 2:30pm. Restaurants often are closed on Mondays, or Tuesdays, and some just for dinner or just for lunch, or one of my favorites closes only on Saturday.
Some stores (usually those in the centre have continual hours, meaning they don't close for the afternoon 'siesta'. When they re-open is anybody's guess. Some at 4:00, or 4:30 or 5:30 or never. The last place you usually will find out, is from a sign on the door. There are many of these signs but usually not filled out. Same holds for Sundays. The supermarkets are usually closed on Sundays, except for the last Sunday of the month.
The wonderful antique and flea markets around Italy have a similar way of scheduling. Arezzo has it's famous antique market on the first weekend of the month (on Sat and Sunday). But if the 1st falls on a Sunday, then it's still considered the first weekend.
Regarding museum hours, I have recently concluded that the creativity that was used to make the amazing art that is housed in these museums is now applied to the scheduling. I recently read a xeroxed sign at the Medici Chapel, a much-visited state museum, with the schedule that went something like this: Open every 3rd Monday in summers from 11;30-1:30 except for August, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-5PM, Friday afternoons in winter, and weekends had different hours every 2nd weekend depending on when the Uffizzi was open. And this wasn't a joke!!
I asked the concierge of a major hotel to check the Sunday hours for the Prada Outlet. He checked the website and it said that the outlet was closed on Sunday. I knew it was open, he kept pointing to the website, and then I asked him to call, he grudgingly agreed, and of course it was open. It was always open on Sunday, everyone knew but their own website.
#5 While we're talking about numbers, we should speak about addresses. In Florence, they follow the standard, even numbers on one side of the street, odd on the other (again, except not always). But then there is the matter of the 'rosso' or red numbers. These in times past, were in red for residential versus a business address. Now that has all been assimilated except the numbers, i.e. 32r, remain. And the red numbers have very little to do sequentially with the black or blue numbers. So in your search for 32r, you might pass a black 30, and a black 34 (and often even a black 32 which places you at a hotel when you are looking for a bike repair) but the place you are looking for is 2 blocks further up next to a black 58.
#4 Once you are thorougly stumped by numbers you are ready to drive in Italy. My judgment is that Italians don't do signage well. For example, you are driving to Siena from Florence. You follow signs that gets you into a roundabout. And you think it's simple, you just find the exit off of the roundabout with the sign to Siena. Except that 5 out of the 6 exits all of signs to Siena. Now, I don't have any advice on what to do, but I have discovered that the Italians don't seem to have any problem with this, the signs work just fine for them.
#3 Taking the train: You are in Florence, you want to go to the wonderful antique market in Arezzo, and it's the first weekend of the month. You go to the train station, buy a ticket to Arezzo. You are given a ticket that says Arezzo, the train number and the time. Then you look at the reader board to see which binario (track) your train is leaving from. Arezzo is not on the board. Rome is on the board, Milano is on the board, Palermo is on the board, but no Arezzo. You look at your number to see if it matches one of the bigger destinations, but no numbers except times are on the board. Then of course you try to match times: but the trains for Milano and Roma leave at the same time. Finally, you ask a train employee, who looks at your ticket, the reader board, and then at you, because he can't believe he's met such an idiot. Then he scolds you for wasting his time on such an idiotic question, because obviously you take the train to Roma.....you imbecile!!
#2 Tipping: Wait staff in Italy get paid wages so do not depend on tips. And there is a charge, called 'coperta' which is added to the check for water and bread, and service. Still tipping is appreciated, it just doesn't have to be a percentage of the bill, but based on the quality of the service and work done. Most taxis do not expect tips, but again, it doesn't hurt to be generous and kind.
and the
#1 thing you need to know, that every Italian knows, and thinks you're stupid for not knowing is:
'Sconto?' You can always ask, any one and any where for a discount. In the major stores or if you are buying a peach in the market (though I can't imagine why you would care about the peach). You do not need to ask for it like you are driving a tough bargain, but rather that you are asking for a gesture of friendship. And it is given in the same spirit. Enjoy!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Good Swill Hunting: In pursuit of the wild boar
Proverbial wisdom about early birds catching worms doesn’t apply to boar. I am used to fox hunting in the U.S., where you have to be ready to go at dawn. Not so with boar hunting; at nine am the hunters were just starting to arrive.
The countryside in Maremma was spectacular, but for me the most interesting scenery was the parade of men. From seven year-old Luca, there for his first hunt, to 80 year-old Andrea, every one of them was magnificent in my eyes. Their hunting garb featured greens and browns, luscious cashmeres, scarves and hats, all layered with casual elegance. I imagine if Armani had been asked to style a hunt for a film, it wouldn’t have been as perfect. Each man lifted my hand to his lips in greeting. And what made it even more exquisite was the fact that in a sea of 70 men, I was one of only four women.
A membership costs approximately 1000 euro for two hunts a year. The boar are fed year-round so that they stay in the area. Each hunter is assigned a different post through a lottery system. Groups leave either by a type of hay wagon, or by foot to their individual numbered stand. The group leader then makes certain each hunter finds his spot and offers the traditional words for good luck: ‘in boca al lupo’- which literally translates to ‘in the mouth of the wolf’ and must be answered with ‘crepi’, meaning ‘may the wolf die.’
Because my host, Francesco Mazzei, had organized the hunt, he was able to beat the lottery and pick a prime spot (on top of a small hill, with a 360 degree view of the hills, forest and sea) for himself and me. We climbed the ladder, onto our tree house (approx. 4’ by 4’ platform with railing and bench for sitting and gear), and waited for the horn to sound for the hunt to begin. After making sure I was seated and safe, Francesco took a machete and climbed down again to clear some of the brush around our site so there would be more visibility of the animals as they ran by.
Once the hunt started, groups of men- called ‘beaters’-with 50 dogs in each group, track the boars and ‘beat’ them ouf of the bush. “You hunt boars with your ears,’ Francesco explained. “You hear the dogs barking louder as they approach and listen for them to become more frantic as soon as they are on the tail of a boar.” The sound of a boar running than that of a dog, and you can hear the sound of branches cracking under its weight.
So we waited, listened and heard a boar come very near. Francesco pointed his rifle where he thought it would appear. Hunters have to be ready to shoot the second the boar comes into sight. There’s no time to take aim once you see the boar. We waited, and aimed and listened for four hours. My sense of urgent excitement dissipated after the first hour and I settled in to enjoy the scenery and the company of my host.
“I like hunting boars because it is not a sure thing,” Francesco explained. “It takes skill and patience. You have to be attentive and listen. It’s almost meditative.”
Suddenly, he put his finger to his lips and lifted his gun. Even I could detect the unique sound of the boar’s movement. I couldn’t see it but I knew it was close. Just as Francesco poised to shoot, the boar changed direction and disappeared. Francesco’s reaction startled me. He grabbed me by the shoulders and sniffed my neck. “Are you wearing perfume?” he demanded. Then I understood. Luckily, I had been forewarned not to wear any perfume or even shower before the hunt. Although hunters use their ears to hunt, the boar’s survival sensation is its nose and one ‘whiff’ of human odour is enough to send it in the opposite direction.
Though we never hit a boar that day, we heard shooting all around us. As we walked back down the road, I asked him if now was the time when everyone got to tell their hunting stories of how they caught, shot or missed the boar (married to a golfer, I am familiar with this custom). Francesco nodded, that was exactly what would take place next over the luncheon spread. “Francesco,” I warned, “I may not not speak Italian fluently, but I understand everything. If you blame the loud and perfumed American woman for your not shooting a boar, I will know!”
We arrived back at the camp and I felt like a soldier coming back from the war. We sat down to long tables of incredible food, tired but in great spirits. The last part of the hunt experience consisted of watching while the 48 boars that had been shot that day, were hung, skinned and quartered. The beaters are paid in meat and then the hunters can have what they want. Whatever is left over is sold to local butchers. I left satiated- with food, wonder and friendship. Although I had mixed feelings about not seeing an actual kill, I was filled with gratitude for the access I had been given to such a rich and authentic experience.
(excerpted from The Florentine, Feb 9, 2006)
The countryside in Maremma was spectacular, but for me the most interesting scenery was the parade of men. From seven year-old Luca, there for his first hunt, to 80 year-old Andrea, every one of them was magnificent in my eyes. Their hunting garb featured greens and browns, luscious cashmeres, scarves and hats, all layered with casual elegance. I imagine if Armani had been asked to style a hunt for a film, it wouldn’t have been as perfect. Each man lifted my hand to his lips in greeting. And what made it even more exquisite was the fact that in a sea of 70 men, I was one of only four women.
A membership costs approximately 1000 euro for two hunts a year. The boar are fed year-round so that they stay in the area. Each hunter is assigned a different post through a lottery system. Groups leave either by a type of hay wagon, or by foot to their individual numbered stand. The group leader then makes certain each hunter finds his spot and offers the traditional words for good luck: ‘in boca al lupo’- which literally translates to ‘in the mouth of the wolf’ and must be answered with ‘crepi’, meaning ‘may the wolf die.’
Because my host, Francesco Mazzei, had organized the hunt, he was able to beat the lottery and pick a prime spot (on top of a small hill, with a 360 degree view of the hills, forest and sea) for himself and me. We climbed the ladder, onto our tree house (approx. 4’ by 4’ platform with railing and bench for sitting and gear), and waited for the horn to sound for the hunt to begin. After making sure I was seated and safe, Francesco took a machete and climbed down again to clear some of the brush around our site so there would be more visibility of the animals as they ran by.
Once the hunt started, groups of men- called ‘beaters’-with 50 dogs in each group, track the boars and ‘beat’ them ouf of the bush. “You hunt boars with your ears,’ Francesco explained. “You hear the dogs barking louder as they approach and listen for them to become more frantic as soon as they are on the tail of a boar.” The sound of a boar running than that of a dog, and you can hear the sound of branches cracking under its weight.
So we waited, listened and heard a boar come very near. Francesco pointed his rifle where he thought it would appear. Hunters have to be ready to shoot the second the boar comes into sight. There’s no time to take aim once you see the boar. We waited, and aimed and listened for four hours. My sense of urgent excitement dissipated after the first hour and I settled in to enjoy the scenery and the company of my host.
“I like hunting boars because it is not a sure thing,” Francesco explained. “It takes skill and patience. You have to be attentive and listen. It’s almost meditative.”
Suddenly, he put his finger to his lips and lifted his gun. Even I could detect the unique sound of the boar’s movement. I couldn’t see it but I knew it was close. Just as Francesco poised to shoot, the boar changed direction and disappeared. Francesco’s reaction startled me. He grabbed me by the shoulders and sniffed my neck. “Are you wearing perfume?” he demanded. Then I understood. Luckily, I had been forewarned not to wear any perfume or even shower before the hunt. Although hunters use their ears to hunt, the boar’s survival sensation is its nose and one ‘whiff’ of human odour is enough to send it in the opposite direction.
Though we never hit a boar that day, we heard shooting all around us. As we walked back down the road, I asked him if now was the time when everyone got to tell their hunting stories of how they caught, shot or missed the boar (married to a golfer, I am familiar with this custom). Francesco nodded, that was exactly what would take place next over the luncheon spread. “Francesco,” I warned, “I may not not speak Italian fluently, but I understand everything. If you blame the loud and perfumed American woman for your not shooting a boar, I will know!”
We arrived back at the camp and I felt like a soldier coming back from the war. We sat down to long tables of incredible food, tired but in great spirits. The last part of the hunt experience consisted of watching while the 48 boars that had been shot that day, were hung, skinned and quartered. The beaters are paid in meat and then the hunters can have what they want. Whatever is left over is sold to local butchers. I left satiated- with food, wonder and friendship. Although I had mixed feelings about not seeing an actual kill, I was filled with gratitude for the access I had been given to such a rich and authentic experience.
(excerpted from The Florentine, Feb 9, 2006)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A Pristine Sistine Visit
(reprint from The Florentine May 2005)
Did you know that you could have a private visit to the Vatican Museums and have the Sistine Chapel to yourself? That you can be in this holy place after it closes to the public, to the 'masses?' Alone, so that you can stand far enough away to take in the entire wall of The Last Judgment, without two backpacks and a raised guidebook with a photo of the same blocking your vision? No wait. No lines. No noise. No one pushing, shoving or bumping into you, or otherwise spoiling the sanctity of this sacred and transformative experience.
If a a 'Pristine Sistine' viewing is what you desire, this 'once in a lifetime', 'dream come true' opportunity is available to you. something we generally assume is only reserved for presidents, royalty and George Clooney, can be yours. For a mere 1800 euro, you and up to 29 of your closest firends (or like in George's case, your entourage) will enter the Vatican Museum at 5PM.
Since you have to wait until closing to enter the museum, take advantage of your trip to the Vatican by arranging to first visit the Scavi (the tombs and Christian graveyard necropolis), a fascinating tour into the archeaological discoveries and theories of St. Peter's and his bones. Depending on your guide (a priest), the trip can either be a DaVinci Code-like tour filled with mystery and suspense into the authenticity of 'the bones' or merely just wondrous and interesting. Either way, it is an important archeaological discovery, believed to be where St. Peter himself was buried.
You walk through an excavated street between tombs and an ancient graveyard, a part of the Vatican that most miss. Due to the close quarters, the Scavi tour, which needs to be booked weeks ahead, is limited to groups of no more than 15. So you will get acclimated to the 'privacy' and 'exclusivity' you will encounter in the Sistine Chapel.
At 5pm, after 'the mortals', or public, have left, you enter the Vatican Museums. A few moments (instead of hours) to pass through security, then you enter the grand and quiet halls. Of course guards accompany you, but it appears their only job is to serve as your valets, to open and close doors (translation: lock/unlock/secure).
Most memories of entering the Vatican consist of rushing and maneuvering through the crowds in a race to get to the Sistine Chapel, missing or perhaps not even conscious that there are halls and galleries filled with some of the world's most precious art. Sculpture from ancient Rome, a room filled with the paintings of Raphael, the amazing hall of Tapestries and Maps. When you enter alone, something is very different, you are not in a museum, but a private villa or palazzo. You are no longer a tourist but an invited guest. At the same time that you are overwhelmed by the grandeur, there is a feeling of intimacy, a closeness to the awe.
Take your time, the Chapel is waiting for you. Go into the gardens, be moved by the same ancient sculptures that possibly were seen by and moved the great Michelangelo. and let the expectation build (you know you won't be disappointed), then as the sun begins to set, enter the Sistine Chapel. Stop. Breathe. This is a moment you will remember for the rest of your life. for now, it's all yours.
Reservations and information: www.vatican.va
for 'Scavi' www.catacombsociety.org
Did you know that you could have a private visit to the Vatican Museums and have the Sistine Chapel to yourself? That you can be in this holy place after it closes to the public, to the 'masses?' Alone, so that you can stand far enough away to take in the entire wall of The Last Judgment, without two backpacks and a raised guidebook with a photo of the same blocking your vision? No wait. No lines. No noise. No one pushing, shoving or bumping into you, or otherwise spoiling the sanctity of this sacred and transformative experience.
If a a 'Pristine Sistine' viewing is what you desire, this 'once in a lifetime', 'dream come true' opportunity is available to you. something we generally assume is only reserved for presidents, royalty and George Clooney, can be yours. For a mere 1800 euro, you and up to 29 of your closest firends (or like in George's case, your entourage) will enter the Vatican Museum at 5PM.
Since you have to wait until closing to enter the museum, take advantage of your trip to the Vatican by arranging to first visit the Scavi (the tombs and Christian graveyard necropolis), a fascinating tour into the archeaological discoveries and theories of St. Peter's and his bones. Depending on your guide (a priest), the trip can either be a DaVinci Code-like tour filled with mystery and suspense into the authenticity of 'the bones' or merely just wondrous and interesting. Either way, it is an important archeaological discovery, believed to be where St. Peter himself was buried.
You walk through an excavated street between tombs and an ancient graveyard, a part of the Vatican that most miss. Due to the close quarters, the Scavi tour, which needs to be booked weeks ahead, is limited to groups of no more than 15. So you will get acclimated to the 'privacy' and 'exclusivity' you will encounter in the Sistine Chapel.
At 5pm, after 'the mortals', or public, have left, you enter the Vatican Museums. A few moments (instead of hours) to pass through security, then you enter the grand and quiet halls. Of course guards accompany you, but it appears their only job is to serve as your valets, to open and close doors (translation: lock/unlock/secure).
Most memories of entering the Vatican consist of rushing and maneuvering through the crowds in a race to get to the Sistine Chapel, missing or perhaps not even conscious that there are halls and galleries filled with some of the world's most precious art. Sculpture from ancient Rome, a room filled with the paintings of Raphael, the amazing hall of Tapestries and Maps. When you enter alone, something is very different, you are not in a museum, but a private villa or palazzo. You are no longer a tourist but an invited guest. At the same time that you are overwhelmed by the grandeur, there is a feeling of intimacy, a closeness to the awe.
Take your time, the Chapel is waiting for you. Go into the gardens, be moved by the same ancient sculptures that possibly were seen by and moved the great Michelangelo. and let the expectation build (you know you won't be disappointed), then as the sun begins to set, enter the Sistine Chapel. Stop. Breathe. This is a moment you will remember for the rest of your life. for now, it's all yours.
Reservations and information: www.vatican.va
for 'Scavi' www.catacombsociety.org
Saturday, June 16, 2007
If beauty is only skin deep, then make sure you have a great doctor
I met Dr. Foukis when he was recommended as a plastic surgeon to do a minor procedure to fix a scar from a long time ago (you don’t want the details). He has become my doctor (the one I call to make sure my cold isn’t pneumonia, my gas isn’t a heart attack, and that my rash isn’t Dutch Elm disease), my ‘fountain of youth’ (you do want the details about this….see below), and more importantly, my friend. Generosity, kindness and integrity are the 3 qualities I look to develop in myself and I look for in others. I have been blessed to meet many people who I admire for exemplifying these qualities here in Florence, and Dr. Foukis probably tops this list.
Some info on him:
Came here from Corfu, Greece to study medicine in Florence. He is a surgeon who specializes in breasts. Dr. Foukis is a member of the European Society of Mastology and a specialist in oncoplastic surgery of the breast. In order to increase his knowledge he has consulted with some of the leading plastic surgeons around the world. In addition he has participated in most international conferences regarding plastic and aesthetic surgery as well as aesthetic medical procedures.
This led to opening his incredible salon (incredible in that it was designed by world-famous architect, Michael Young…you’ve got to go just to see the place, it’s spectacular) on Borgo San Jacopo, next to the Lungarno Hotel, appropriately named, “Skin”.
The ‘details you want’:
‘Skin’ is a salon, in that you can get pedicures, manicures, massages, facials.
‘Skin’ is a doctor’s office: Dr. Foukis does Botox, restylane and other fillers for lips, cheeks. He has treatments for removal of scars, varicose veins, cellulite, and stretch marks. And he does permanent hair removal with a painless photo-lite machine and many others.
What makes ‘Skin’ unique, is the holistic approach of the aesthetic treatments, an aesthetic medical center consisting of only professionals involved in the aesthetic field; ie. a surgeon, dermatologist, vascular surgeon, dentist, dietician, physiotherapist and aethetician, offer their services in order to meet and satisfy the client’s needs!
‘Skin’ has the latest and greatest:
I have had almost all of the above done (except breast augmentation) and I want to rave about the following because these are treatments that really produce visible results:
• Facial machine. I call it the ‘Triple Threat’, it does photo facial, microdermabrasion and a suction that stimulates the collagen. I have used it on my face and neck, and the immediate results are dramatic. It costs less than a normal cleansing facial in the US, and it not only cleans much deeper, it really rejuvenates the skin. Costs about 90euro. Probably should do it once a month, but I want to hook up to it daily.
• Botox and fillers: I have done this in the States before, and not only does Dr. Foukis do a much better job than previous ‘encounters’, he’s about 1/2 the price of the US, and he is more up to date on the different materials because most of them come from Europe.
• Photo hair removal: the ‘light’ only works on dark or black hairs, and usually need 2 or 3 treatments, and then once a year after that. Mine got done in 2 treatments, and I have almost none to be treated after one year. It’s incredible, I never have to shave under my arms!!
• The good news with Dr. Foukis, is that everything he has done on me (lips, cheeks….to mention a few), he does in a way that looks absolutely natural. You never see someone walk out the office with that awful, Joan River’s frozen monster look.
• The bad news with Dr. Foukis, is that, no matter, what he does, I still look the same, in that I don’t walk out of his office looking like Angela Jolie or Nicole Kidman.
• Mostly I want to rave about the integrity of Dr. Foukis. My beautiful 28 year friend went to him to get Botox, and he told her to come back in 10 years. Another friend asked him if she should get her eyes done (a surgery he performs), and he told her absolutely not, with just some Botox and facial treatments with the Triple Threat, she would get the desired result (and she did). But so far with me, he always advises me to have the treatment (probably because I’m not 28!)
Call and make an appointment just to talk to Dr. Foukis (there’s no charge). I love to hear about all the new treatments, machines, what they do, how much it costs, etc. I’m probably a little ‘nuts’, but I think it’s fun.
Phone number: 055 2741503
Some info on him:
Came here from Corfu, Greece to study medicine in Florence. He is a surgeon who specializes in breasts. Dr. Foukis is a member of the European Society of Mastology and a specialist in oncoplastic surgery of the breast. In order to increase his knowledge he has consulted with some of the leading plastic surgeons around the world. In addition he has participated in most international conferences regarding plastic and aesthetic surgery as well as aesthetic medical procedures.
This led to opening his incredible salon (incredible in that it was designed by world-famous architect, Michael Young…you’ve got to go just to see the place, it’s spectacular) on Borgo San Jacopo, next to the Lungarno Hotel, appropriately named, “Skin”.
The ‘details you want’:
‘Skin’ is a salon, in that you can get pedicures, manicures, massages, facials.
‘Skin’ is a doctor’s office: Dr. Foukis does Botox, restylane and other fillers for lips, cheeks. He has treatments for removal of scars, varicose veins, cellulite, and stretch marks. And he does permanent hair removal with a painless photo-lite machine and many others.
What makes ‘Skin’ unique, is the holistic approach of the aesthetic treatments, an aesthetic medical center consisting of only professionals involved in the aesthetic field; ie. a surgeon, dermatologist, vascular surgeon, dentist, dietician, physiotherapist and aethetician, offer their services in order to meet and satisfy the client’s needs!
‘Skin’ has the latest and greatest:
I have had almost all of the above done (except breast augmentation) and I want to rave about the following because these are treatments that really produce visible results:
• Facial machine. I call it the ‘Triple Threat’, it does photo facial, microdermabrasion and a suction that stimulates the collagen. I have used it on my face and neck, and the immediate results are dramatic. It costs less than a normal cleansing facial in the US, and it not only cleans much deeper, it really rejuvenates the skin. Costs about 90euro. Probably should do it once a month, but I want to hook up to it daily.
• Botox and fillers: I have done this in the States before, and not only does Dr. Foukis do a much better job than previous ‘encounters’, he’s about 1/2 the price of the US, and he is more up to date on the different materials because most of them come from Europe.
• Photo hair removal: the ‘light’ only works on dark or black hairs, and usually need 2 or 3 treatments, and then once a year after that. Mine got done in 2 treatments, and I have almost none to be treated after one year. It’s incredible, I never have to shave under my arms!!
• The good news with Dr. Foukis, is that everything he has done on me (lips, cheeks….to mention a few), he does in a way that looks absolutely natural. You never see someone walk out the office with that awful, Joan River’s frozen monster look.
• The bad news with Dr. Foukis, is that, no matter, what he does, I still look the same, in that I don’t walk out of his office looking like Angela Jolie or Nicole Kidman.
• Mostly I want to rave about the integrity of Dr. Foukis. My beautiful 28 year friend went to him to get Botox, and he told her to come back in 10 years. Another friend asked him if she should get her eyes done (a surgery he performs), and he told her absolutely not, with just some Botox and facial treatments with the Triple Threat, she would get the desired result (and she did). But so far with me, he always advises me to have the treatment (probably because I’m not 28!)
Call and make an appointment just to talk to Dr. Foukis (there’s no charge). I love to hear about all the new treatments, machines, what they do, how much it costs, etc. I’m probably a little ‘nuts’, but I think it’s fun.
Phone number: 055 2741503
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
With Friends like these: Amici, the TV show
With friends like these….
If you turn are watching TV and channel surfing while in Italy, you are bound to at least glimpse a TV show that is broadcast on one of 2 channels 7 days a week. If you have Skye that displays the name, you see the word, ‘Amici’, and know enough Italian to know it means friends, and like me, think oh it’s either the ‘real’ Friends, with dubbing, or the Italian version. Neither interpretation will get you within a mile or kilometer from understanding this Italian phenomena.
In February, I travelled to Rome, and back into time, when I entered the gates of the legendary, Cine Citta. This is the studio where the Italian greats made their films…. Unlike their Hollywood counterparts, like Paramount, Universal, etc, Cine citta seems frozen in time, you are reminded of scenes from The Dolce Vita which were filmed at the same front gates I had entered. Eeery feelings of falling down the rabbit hole and finding myself inside a Fellini film, which became quasi real when I went to the cafeteria with my hosts for a quick bite before the episode of Amici was to start. A woman came up to our table, I thought she worked there serving food or as a busperson. She was 60, 70 or 102…but I’m sure has looked the same for 40 years, and how I would describe her if I had seen her anywhere else in the world, would be, ‘right out of a Fellini movie’. A little bit grotesque, a little bit scary, a little bit threatening, very ordinary….you know….right out of a Fellini movie!! She came to tell us that she was an actress, and we should take her back to Hollywood with us. My friend leaned over to inform me that she in fact had been in every Fellini film, didn’t work in the café, but she was always there, maybe lived somewhere on the lot, or perhaps was not a real human being, but a ghost or an accident of the celluloid that came off the screen, frozen in time, a character that would vanish if stepped outside the confines of the lot.
From ‘gargoyles’ to the ‘gladiators’ as I stepped into the ‘coleseum’ of the Amici set. The audience was already seating in a true amphitheatre as I entered and was bombarded with yelling, stamping of feet, neon lights flashing, loud music, and God knows what else was used to send me into immediate sensory overload. And the experience went downhill from there.
Let me attempt to explain the basics of the show. It’s a little like American Idol, a talent contest among youth with the winner getting a professional contract as the prize.
Auditions are held among thousands (the show is the most highly rated national show, and is in it’s 6th season). 24 finalists are divided into two opposing teams, and come to cine citta to live and attend school. The ‘school’ consists of classes in singing, acting and dancing, for 4-6 hours a day, but they only take classes with and see their own teammates. The only time they see the other team is to compete on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
On these evenings, a woman named, Maria ???, who is the producer and pretty much overall ‘boss’, and apparently one of the most powerful women in Italian television, hosts the show, announcing the different competitions…such as whether it’s dance, song, etc. and which contestant will perform. She does that by turning her back to the audience and looking at a large screen that flashes different possibilities before landing, like a roulette ball on the participant and event. Then the performance is done, and everyone comments: the everyone includes the judges who are apparently experts in each talent and include a middle age, over the top transvestite, drag queen, a over-the-hill professional ballerina, other teachers. The viciousness of the comments of the judges, makes Simon Cowell of American Idol, seem encouraging and protective. The ballerina told to one dancer, a girl that she was teaching 2-4 hours everyday, that not only was she not a good dancer, but ‘don’t feel bad, because not everyone is cut out to dance.’ But the attacks by the judges are not limiteded to the performers, they feel free to cut down each other. The singing teacher accusing the ‘ballerina’ maestra of being jealous and bitter because she was no longer a star, so she was using the show only for self-promotion. This friendly ‘barter’ appetizes the spectators, who cast their agreement or not with boos, stomping, and screaming because the real ‘meal’ comes when the contestants ‘critique’…or castigate, in attempts to annihilate each other. They do this first by showing video that had been shot during the week of the teams talking behind each other’s back, denigrating the other team members. Then they show the person’s reaction to the vicious comments, and ask how he/she feels about that and Maria encourages more attacks and counter-attacks. The nastier it gets, the more revved-up the audience becomes, thus making for ‘great TV’ and of course feeding the most important monster of all, the ratings.
Coming from the world of Big Brother, Fantasy Island, and Fear Factor, who am I to criticize such a successful phenomena? The difference for me was not only the exploitation of youth but rewarding them for excelling at behavior that all cultures find despicable.
In ‘American Idol’, the judges may say cruel things to the contestants, but first of all the judges are not their teachers, and the results show the performers improving under this test, in fact the growth is remarkable, and I think all of us are enobled by seeing a performer blossom before us. However, the competition is to get better yourself, not to have the competitor get worse. I’m sure there is gossip and backstabbing behind the scenes, and obviously not rewarded or instigated to make the show ‘juicier.’
For Amici, what is given the most attention, screen time, applause is not the skill and beauty of the performers but their how well they hone the art of vileness.
If you turn are watching TV and channel surfing while in Italy, you are bound to at least glimpse a TV show that is broadcast on one of 2 channels 7 days a week. If you have Skye that displays the name, you see the word, ‘Amici’, and know enough Italian to know it means friends, and like me, think oh it’s either the ‘real’ Friends, with dubbing, or the Italian version. Neither interpretation will get you within a mile or kilometer from understanding this Italian phenomena.
In February, I travelled to Rome, and back into time, when I entered the gates of the legendary, Cine Citta. This is the studio where the Italian greats made their films…. Unlike their Hollywood counterparts, like Paramount, Universal, etc, Cine citta seems frozen in time, you are reminded of scenes from The Dolce Vita which were filmed at the same front gates I had entered. Eeery feelings of falling down the rabbit hole and finding myself inside a Fellini film, which became quasi real when I went to the cafeteria with my hosts for a quick bite before the episode of Amici was to start. A woman came up to our table, I thought she worked there serving food or as a busperson. She was 60, 70 or 102…but I’m sure has looked the same for 40 years, and how I would describe her if I had seen her anywhere else in the world, would be, ‘right out of a Fellini movie’. A little bit grotesque, a little bit scary, a little bit threatening, very ordinary….you know….right out of a Fellini movie!! She came to tell us that she was an actress, and we should take her back to Hollywood with us. My friend leaned over to inform me that she in fact had been in every Fellini film, didn’t work in the café, but she was always there, maybe lived somewhere on the lot, or perhaps was not a real human being, but a ghost or an accident of the celluloid that came off the screen, frozen in time, a character that would vanish if stepped outside the confines of the lot.
From ‘gargoyles’ to the ‘gladiators’ as I stepped into the ‘coleseum’ of the Amici set. The audience was already seating in a true amphitheatre as I entered and was bombarded with yelling, stamping of feet, neon lights flashing, loud music, and God knows what else was used to send me into immediate sensory overload. And the experience went downhill from there.
Let me attempt to explain the basics of the show. It’s a little like American Idol, a talent contest among youth with the winner getting a professional contract as the prize.
Auditions are held among thousands (the show is the most highly rated national show, and is in it’s 6th season). 24 finalists are divided into two opposing teams, and come to cine citta to live and attend school. The ‘school’ consists of classes in singing, acting and dancing, for 4-6 hours a day, but they only take classes with and see their own teammates. The only time they see the other team is to compete on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
On these evenings, a woman named, Maria ???, who is the producer and pretty much overall ‘boss’, and apparently one of the most powerful women in Italian television, hosts the show, announcing the different competitions…such as whether it’s dance, song, etc. and which contestant will perform. She does that by turning her back to the audience and looking at a large screen that flashes different possibilities before landing, like a roulette ball on the participant and event. Then the performance is done, and everyone comments: the everyone includes the judges who are apparently experts in each talent and include a middle age, over the top transvestite, drag queen, a over-the-hill professional ballerina, other teachers. The viciousness of the comments of the judges, makes Simon Cowell of American Idol, seem encouraging and protective. The ballerina told to one dancer, a girl that she was teaching 2-4 hours everyday, that not only was she not a good dancer, but ‘don’t feel bad, because not everyone is cut out to dance.’ But the attacks by the judges are not limiteded to the performers, they feel free to cut down each other. The singing teacher accusing the ‘ballerina’ maestra of being jealous and bitter because she was no longer a star, so she was using the show only for self-promotion. This friendly ‘barter’ appetizes the spectators, who cast their agreement or not with boos, stomping, and screaming because the real ‘meal’ comes when the contestants ‘critique’…or castigate, in attempts to annihilate each other. They do this first by showing video that had been shot during the week of the teams talking behind each other’s back, denigrating the other team members. Then they show the person’s reaction to the vicious comments, and ask how he/she feels about that and Maria encourages more attacks and counter-attacks. The nastier it gets, the more revved-up the audience becomes, thus making for ‘great TV’ and of course feeding the most important monster of all, the ratings.
Coming from the world of Big Brother, Fantasy Island, and Fear Factor, who am I to criticize such a successful phenomena? The difference for me was not only the exploitation of youth but rewarding them for excelling at behavior that all cultures find despicable.
In ‘American Idol’, the judges may say cruel things to the contestants, but first of all the judges are not their teachers, and the results show the performers improving under this test, in fact the growth is remarkable, and I think all of us are enobled by seeing a performer blossom before us. However, the competition is to get better yourself, not to have the competitor get worse. I’m sure there is gossip and backstabbing behind the scenes, and obviously not rewarded or instigated to make the show ‘juicier.’
For Amici, what is given the most attention, screen time, applause is not the skill and beauty of the performers but their how well they hone the art of vileness.
Monday, June 4, 2007
My dinner with Andrea
photos by Guido Mannucci
from left to right: Alberto Veronesi,Conductor of Puccini orchestra, Nita, Andrea
Villa La Pietra: June 1st.
Delta Airlines celebrated their first flights JFK-Pisa, and my darling, kind generous friend, Ellyn Toscano, director of Villa La Pietra, invited me as her guest. Andrea Bocelli sang and also agreed to do an interview with me for The Florentine, look for it sometime soon!
Michelangelo Chang?
Carrara: Following in the footsteps of Michelangelo
Another incredible invitation, the privilege to go with the patrons of Syracuse University of Florence, and Professor Rab Hatfield, one of the foremost experts on Michelangelo, to the marble quarries of Carrara.
First of all, Carrara is a ‘must see’. For it’s beauty, the magnificent mountains, that are stunningly similar to snow-capped peaks and glaciers, except all of the ‘white’ is marble, and to see go to see the raw material which gave rise to the treasures we cherish in Florence.
Rab, took us first to Pietrasanta to meet up with the charming and eccentric John Taylor. A Brit who came to Italy 15 years ago as winner of the Premio Romano, a sculptor that never left and now resides in Pietrasanta whcre he works with marble, as well as teaching both there and in Florence at SACI.
He took us around Pietrasanta, to see the extraordinary frescoes by Botero in the little Renaissance church, and then to the workshop where he and several other sculptors work in marble. An incredible sight to actually see the tools, methods, and magnitude of toil it requires to chisel beauty and vision out of rock.
The ‘coop’ where they sculpt is owned by the Barsanti family which has been there since the 18th century. The family were sculptors but now, they rent out studios, as well as being a resource for antique marbles, primarily sold for restoration and repairs. In addition, the family sells completed sculptures. In the ‘sales garden’ they had replicas of famous Italian classics. There’s a ‘Donatello David’, some Roman soldiers, etc. But the most fascinating and shocking information of the whole day, was when John pointed out that these ‘replicas’ all came from China!! And when John directed our attention to the details, for instance, that David’s tummy looked more like a Chinese’s and that the Roman soldiers were remarkably reminiscent of a Samurai, it became quite evident, this was true.
But why?? For the same reason, many of the leather jackets in Italy are made in China, as well as the clothes, textiles, and Gucci purses…… because it’s cheaper. The prices for the Chinese “Italian” sculptures are 1/3 of the price. Non ci posso crederlo!! I can’t believe it. What’s next? Is there nothing sacred?
After Pietrasanta, we went to Carrara. I had been there before to drive around and see the enormity of the marble quarries, but this time we went inside. In Fantiscritti (named because of writings that were found, that seemed primitive, so they called them infant writings), we were given a tour by Francesca, whose family owns the marble ‘concession’ inside the mountain. Francesca, takes you in a shuttle, deep into the depths of the mountain, and you get to the center of an enormous cave (much, much larger than the Duomo!), which has been all dug out. This is where most of the Carrara white marble comes from.
I learned that there are two grades of marble, the kind that is inside this cave, which is much harder, much more compressed, and much heavier. This marble is used for building, floors, counter-tops, etc. Everything, but for sculpting (except some contemporary sculptors are using this grade, too) The ‘statuary’ marble, which is a much purer white, is found in the outside quarries.
The enormity of the cave, how they cut this huge blocks out of the mountain, how they test the marble, to find out if the block is solid (by hitting it and seeing if the sound echoes to the end- because if there is a crack the sound won’t travel), all of this was overwhelmingly interesting, fascinating, adventurous and fun. For instance, did you know that marble is calcium caltrate….it is made from bones, actually seashells, because what is now marble on the inside of these caves and on mountainsides, was previously (like a long, long, long time ago), the ocean floor!!
If you go through the cave, which sometimes you can arrange with Francesca, or if not, you can drive around to Ravacchione, the outside quarry which is where Michelangelo supposedly got his marble. In these quarries, you can see, and even pick up and take home (it’s legal) small pieces of statuary marble.
You can go to Fantiscitti on your own, and see this cave by calling Francesca at: 339 7657470. She charges a small admission. (great outing for kids, too)
Another incredible invitation, the privilege to go with the patrons of Syracuse University of Florence, and Professor Rab Hatfield, one of the foremost experts on Michelangelo, to the marble quarries of Carrara.
First of all, Carrara is a ‘must see’. For it’s beauty, the magnificent mountains, that are stunningly similar to snow-capped peaks and glaciers, except all of the ‘white’ is marble, and to see go to see the raw material which gave rise to the treasures we cherish in Florence.
Rab, took us first to Pietrasanta to meet up with the charming and eccentric John Taylor. A Brit who came to Italy 15 years ago as winner of the Premio Romano, a sculptor that never left and now resides in Pietrasanta whcre he works with marble, as well as teaching both there and in Florence at SACI.
He took us around Pietrasanta, to see the extraordinary frescoes by Botero in the little Renaissance church, and then to the workshop where he and several other sculptors work in marble. An incredible sight to actually see the tools, methods, and magnitude of toil it requires to chisel beauty and vision out of rock.
The ‘coop’ where they sculpt is owned by the Barsanti family which has been there since the 18th century. The family were sculptors but now, they rent out studios, as well as being a resource for antique marbles, primarily sold for restoration and repairs. In addition, the family sells completed sculptures. In the ‘sales garden’ they had replicas of famous Italian classics. There’s a ‘Donatello David’, some Roman soldiers, etc. But the most fascinating and shocking information of the whole day, was when John pointed out that these ‘replicas’ all came from China!! And when John directed our attention to the details, for instance, that David’s tummy looked more like a Chinese’s and that the Roman soldiers were remarkably reminiscent of a Samurai, it became quite evident, this was true.But why?? For the same reason, many of the leather jackets in Italy are made in China, as well as the clothes, textiles, and Gucci purses…… because it’s cheaper. The prices for the Chinese “Italian” sculptures are 1/3 of the price. Non ci posso crederlo!! I can’t believe it. What’s next? Is there nothing sacred?
After Pietrasanta, we went to Carrara. I had been there before to drive around and see the enormity of the marble quarries, but this time we went inside. In Fantiscritti (named because of writings that were found, that seemed primitive, so they called them infant writings), we were given a tour by Francesca, whose family owns the marble ‘concession’ inside the mountain. Francesca, takes you in a shuttle, deep into the depths of the mountain, and you get to the center of an enormous cave (much, much larger than the Duomo!), which has been all dug out. This is where most of the Carrara white marble comes from.
I learned that there are two grades of marble, the kind that is inside this cave, which is much harder, much more compressed, and much heavier. This marble is used for building, floors, counter-tops, etc. Everything, but for sculpting (except some contemporary sculptors are using this grade, too) The ‘statuary’ marble, which is a much purer white, is found in the outside quarries.The enormity of the cave, how they cut this huge blocks out of the mountain, how they test the marble, to find out if the block is solid (by hitting it and seeing if the sound echoes to the end- because if there is a crack the sound won’t travel), all of this was overwhelmingly interesting, fascinating, adventurous and fun. For instance, did you know that marble is calcium caltrate….it is made from bones, actually seashells, because what is now marble on the inside of these caves and on mountainsides, was previously (like a long, long, long time ago), the ocean floor!!
If you go through the cave, which sometimes you can arrange with Francesca, or if not, you can drive around to Ravacchione, the outside quarry which is where Michelangelo supposedly got his marble. In these quarries, you can see, and even pick up and take home (it’s legal) small pieces of statuary marble.You can go to Fantiscitti on your own, and see this cave by calling Francesca at: 339 7657470. She charges a small admission. (great outing for kids, too)
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