Pitti Uomo strikes a pose

Transcription

1 Anno 2 numero 35 - Firenze Uffizi Lucks out Trouble with Taliban An art walk on the Oltrarno The Mediterranean Diet and the Italian Paradox By Vicci Recckio By Victoria Miachika see pg. 5 see pg. 6 see pg. 17 see pg. 20 Pitti Uomo strikes a pose Are you looking for the newest look? Then there s still time to jump on the fashion bandwagon. This month Florence rolls out the red carpet for vogue looks as the city prepares for one of the most famous trade fairs of the fashion industry. From June 21-24, Florence will welcome Pitti Uomo, the world famous international event showcasing contemporary men s fashion. This farreaching project, organized by Pitti Immagine and sponsored by the Florentine Centre for Italian Fashion, has transformed the city of Florence into the capital of menswear creativity. Trade fair organizers expect 23,055 buyers, of which 39.5 percent will come from abroad. The main foreign VOLVO XC70. DON T STOP TO EXPLORE. Florence tradeshow reveals the future of men s fashion Foto di Francesco Guazzelli from markets are Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Holland, Japan, and the United States. Expanding markets for menswear include Russia, Turkey and India. Florence s male fashion extravaganza will host 719 exhibiting firms, and will display up to 823 brands at the-59,000 -square meter Fortezza da Basso. Fashion aficionados can look forward to style-related, city-wide events such as New Beats, an exhibit devoted to fashion debuts that focus on total research brands involved in style experimentation. The Lyceum in Florence will be hosting exclusive previews of 14 collections with names including Og (a completely Italian clothing project), Pseudohero (a British label with a caustic rock spirit), Ocha and Garth, and Pun Chi Man. Designer Roberto Cavalli will return to Florence as a special guest to celebrate this edition of Pitti Uomo. A spectacular event on Ponte Vecchio on June 21 will reaffirm the stylist s Florentine roots by presenting Cavalli s hometown collection. June 22 is a key day for the Pitti, when Classico Italia will celebrate 20 years of Made in Italy products. There s also a garden party given by Gianmarco Messor called 30 years of Passion for Fashion at the Villa Finaly. The Messaggerie will sponsor another exclusive fashion show which flaunts its new men s collection in the Sala Ottagonale of Florence s Istituto Statale d Arte. Pitti Uomo s growing interest in more informal styles and the link between fashion and sport is highlighted in its alternative exhibition, Human games: winners and losers. Over the last 15 years, sport has become one of fashion s most important driving forces, with clothing, accessories, equipment, photos, videos and advertising campaigns all showcasing the mark sport has made on the fashion industry. The monthlong exhibit, Winners and Losers invites visitors to reflect on sport and its central role in contemporary society. The show focuses on the metamorphosis of sport from play to competition, from discipline and body care to a universal sector that see pg. 3 OVER THE COUNTER CONTROVERSY Commission vetoes medicine in supermarkets edicine means money. The Mcost of good health is not a new issue and has become a heated source of local controversy in recent months as many citizens have strived to promote a proposition which would allow for the sale of non-prescription drugs in local Coop supermarkets. Increased convenience and lower costs were the key concepts behind the petition for liberalization of the medicine market, signed by more than 800,000 citizens. Their pleas fell on deaf ears, as the Tuscan Region s Health Commission recently vetoed the popular proposition, prompting prolonged debate on the pros and cons of protectionism. Sale of over-the-counter drugs has become a difficult issue to ignore due to the tremendous profits generated. see pg. 3 DEALER Peragnoli-Scar FIRENZE (NORD) - Via F. Baracca Phone EMPOLI (FI) - Via Tosco Romagnola 120/122 - Phone AUTHORIZED REPAIRER SIENA (MONTERIGGIONI) - Via Cassia Nord Phone PETROL ENGINE 2.5 T 210 bhp (154KW). TURBODIESEL COMMON RAIL D5: 163 bhp (120KW), 185 bhp (136KW). ALSO AVAILABLE WITH GEARTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Fuel consumption, mixed cycle: l/100 km. Carbon dioxide emissions: g/km.

2 2 Tel/fax DON T THINK ABOUT IT FOR ANOTHER CENTURY... JUST SUBSCRIBE TO THE FLORENTINE NOW Name : Address to send subscription: street city/state postal code country Address: Codice Fiscale or Partita IVA: Subscription rates for 24 issues (one year subscription) are as follows: Italy: Euro 60 Rest of Europe/UK: Euro 75 North America: Euro 85 Australia: Euro 90 Method of payment: Cash Check written to: to B Gruppo Srl Money Transfer to B Gruppo s.r.l., Credito Emiliano, c/c 5642/9 ABI 03032, CAB (attach a copy of transaction) Mail or drop off this form with payment: The Florentine via Santa Maria 32/r Firenze - Italy May 30-31, June 1 Alda Baby baby clothes made in Italy Alda Baby cordially invites you to the presentation of its Spring/Summer 2007 collection at Hotel S.Gallo Palace sala Lorenzo via Lorenzo il Magnifico, 2 Firenze tel For reservations please call or write to us (tel. 0573/532777, alda@aldababy.it). Walk-ins welcome

3 News 3 via santa maria 32r Firenze tel. fax info@theflorentine.net editore Azimuth s.r.l. direzione: via dei Fossi 14c Prato direttore responsabile Fabiana Ceccarelli editor in Chief Nita Tucker managing editor Linda Falcone contributing editors Marco Badiani, Elia della Chiesa, Giovanni Giusti, Antonio Lo Iacono, Kate Bolton, Amy Gulick, Tony Tucker cultural editor Jane Fortune travel & Leisure writer Sabine Eiche graphics and layout Leo Cardini - Cathy Gale agilelogica.it printer La Marina, Calenzano (Fi) iscrizione al ROC (reg. degli operatori di comunicazione) n reg. trib. di Prato trasmessa il 19/04/05 Pitti Uomo strikes a pose Caffeteria Pasticceria Recognized in many travel guides as one of Florence s finest cafe s. Robiglio offers daily lunch and dinner menus, as well as serving a true American breakfast! Steps away from the duomo, at Robiglio, you will find elegant pastries, candies, and beautiful gifts to take away. Cafe & Pastry Shop Via Tosinghi 11/R Daily 8:00 to 20:00 Restaurant continued from pg. 1 encompasses technology, fashion, art, business, medicine and communication. From June 21 to July 21, Stazione Leopolda will promote five different sport and fashion themes: limits, games, mutation, tradition and freedom. The Pitti s hunger for high fashion doesn t stop with menswear. Style-mongers can also enjoy Pitti Immagine Bimbo hosted at the Fortezza from June 30 to July 2, which features an international preview of 2007 spring-summer collections of clothing and accessories for children and teens (ages 0-18), maternity wear and childcare products. Those who love warm winter sweaters can stay tuned for Pitti Filati which previews the , autumn\winter yarn collections for the knitwear industry on July 5-7. OVER THE COUNTER CONTROVERSY continued from pg. 1 Tuscan Aldo Soldi, president of the National Association of Consumer Coops in Rome, sent a scalding letter to the Florentine daily La Nazione in which he protested the stance taken by the Tuscan Health Commission s Regional Council and its chairman Fabio Roggiolani, who has long opposed the sale of medicine in supermarkets. We have never asked for the liberalization of prescription medicines; our initiative includes only non-prescription drugs. Of course, it is necessary to practise caution. In the proposal that the Coop presented in February, it would be prohibited to advertise medicines on the premises or participate in any sort of promotional activity with regards to the drugs for sale, Mr Soldi asserts. The Coop-piloted proposal also foresees the presence of licensed pharmacists within its supermarkets during opening hours, as well as the employment of special cashiers and stockers. The proposition s objective, Soldi argues, is to create a protected market that caters to the needs of citizens. According to Coop s estimates, liberalization of the over-the-counter market would reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals anywhere from 25 to 50 percent, a statistic that cannot be overlooked by even the initiative s staunchest opponents. This signifi cant reduction of medicinal costs would bring Italy in line with the cost of medicine in the rest the European Community. Local Health Councillor Enrico Rossi continues to hold his ground, however. It is dangerous to sell medicine in supermarkets, he declared recently. For Rossi, the Region needs to search for other ways to make medicines more available to the public. In Tuscany, we are prepared to open at least 50 new pharmacies in areas that have a shortage of chemists, he added. Ristorante Gelateria Via de Medici Daily 12:00/15:00 19:30/23:00 Typical Tuscan Menu, specializing in Vegetarian dishes. Florence NEWS Table of CONTENTS FLORENCE NEWS Pitti Uomo strikes a pose Over the counter controversy Tram in a jam Housing hikes hit home Meet the new natives Palace room raided Uffi zi lucks out Footballers brawl endangers calcio storico NATIONAL NEWS Trouble with Taliban Vatican sees red SPORT NEWS Germany World Cup Italy kicks off with win TOP PICKS & CALENDAR OF EVENTS Events Highlights UP CLOSE & PERSONAL An interview with Francesco Piccininni CULTURE & CUSTOMS ITALIAN VOICES: A Window on Language and Customs in Italy Heard the latest about the Carabinieri? THE ARTS An art walk on the Oltrarno TRAVEL & LEISURE It s summertime and the living is easy You meet the nicest people in a cemetery FOOD & WINE The Mediterranean Diet and the Italian Paradox FOODIES CORNER A piece o pie BOOK REVIEW Trouble in Paradise USEFUL NUMBERS CLASSIFIED ADS

4 4 Florence NEWS News in BRIEF Tuscany aids tsunami victims Florentines are lending a helping hand to tsunami victims in Sri Lanka thanks to a 130 thousand euro project sponsored by the Misericordia di Firenze. In the Bellera-County Florence Project, which started in May 2005, Tuscan volunteers joined forces with local citizens to rebuild 13 homes, a medical clinic complete with equipment, and the meditation room of the village s Buddhist temple. Reconstruction has been carried out in accordance with new laws created by Sri Lanka s government. The hole story We love her, but she s high maintenance. The city of Florence, bearing the brunt of both bad weather and heavy vehicles, sees severe wear on her streets. After months of protests from local drivers, Councillor Graziano Cioni has approved a 6 million euro plan to fi ll the holes that infest the city s urban area. This surprisingly expensive makeover projects six construction sites a day from now until September, and is considered only a portion of what the city really needs to maintain the 800 kilometres of Florentine roads. Experts say that the city requires at least 15 million to make a considerable difference in road conditions. English scarce In an international city like Florence, knowing a foreign language opens all doors or does it? According to a surprising recent study, 77 percent of Florentine small- to medium-sized businesses have no contact with foreign markets. A report on language training in Italy, sponsored by the Let it Fly Project in Florence, confi rms that only 4.6 percent of local companies offer their employees training in foreign languages. That fi gure reaches a maximum of 10.3 percent in businesses with more than ten employees in the import-export sector. English is the preferred language 99.4 percent of the time, against 1.4 percent for Arabic and.08 percent for Japanese. Insects invade Signoria An army of 30 thousand bees hijacked the Piazza Signoria for almost 24 hours last weekend. The queen bee had chosen the box tree under Donatello s bronze Giuditta as the perfect place to house her hive. Urban police and fi re-fi ghters fought the natural disaster to no avail. It took bee farmer Maurizio Camilli to save the day. The bees moved to Neptune s fountain and the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio, terrorizing tourists before Camilli had them under control. I m taking them to the country, he said. They will be happier there. Tram in a jam C Comune di Firenze Comune di Scandicci itizens took to the streets last facciamo week, torches strada in alla hand, nuova in a neighbourhood protest near the Fortezza città da Basso. Nearly a thousand people blocked Piazza della Costituzione in their parade to protect the quality of life in Florence by refusing to succumb to what protesters called the city s latest monster plan. The enemy, who may seem rather friendly to the untrained eye, is known as the tramvia. Voted for by citizens way back in 1988, this tram system brings a whole series of fears trailing behind it. In city council meetings held in May and June of this year, citizens kept Vice Mayor and Traffic Council Beppe Matulli up until two in the morning with visions of ugly tracks and neighbourhoods broken by years of public works. In the tramvia s most recent opinion poll conducted by Istituto Freni (Tramvia a Firenze), seven out of ten Florentines say they are unconvinced that it will solve the city s traf- News Citizens protest city s plans to tackle traffic TRAMVIA_6x3_new :46 Pagina 1 uno due tre tramvia I lavori proseguono, scusateci per il disagio info Comune di Firenze fic emergency. Eighty percent believe the tram will take away precious road space and eliminate coveted parking places, while 48 percent simply call the project a waste of money, and 50 percent of people interviewed say they would prefer a micro-subway system. Less than one person in five agrees that the historical city centre should open its gates to the 32- square-metre trams. The majority of Florentine administrators, on the other hand, support the project. It is the only solution for improving citizen mobility, says Matulli, who promises the city will provide precise plans and respect strict deadlines. We have already approved the initiative through popular vote; we can t re-trace our footsteps now. According to the project, the entire tram system should be in place by the end of It s an unrealistic goal, said one protestor. We re half way into 2006, and they are still at the drawing board. Housing hikes hit home Outrageous rents force Florentines out of the centre As summer draws closer, many Florentines are preparing to say good-bye to the centre and its crowds. Some look to the mountains, while others search out the sea. Many have another less exciting destination: the outskirts. And they re not thinking of a summertime sojourn; they re planning, rather, to stay there for good. According to a recent study sponsored by Cooperativa Unica, families renting flats in the city of Florence are preparing for mass exodus. The high cost of centrally-located housing is cited as the number one reason for re-location. 16,500 families who have been forced to look for alternative residence in lesser populated areas. Ninety-two percent cite cost as their primary motivation for leaving the centre. At an average of 733 euro a month, over 43 percent of the families interviewed reported spending more than 30 percent of their budget on rent. In Florence s city centre, 57 out of one 100 families are well above this percentage. The study, conducted between March and April 2006, identified the most expensive Florentine area as the semi-central neighbourhoods that stretch from Piazza Libertà to Piazza Gavinana, areas where the average monthly rent for a flat is 870 euro. Isolotto- Legnaia proves considerably less expensive, offering housing in the 400 to 500 euro range. According to Italy s national statistics service ISTAT, 28,247 families are currently renting in the city. Sixty-two percent of these have a standard 4+4 year contract. due_pavese illustrazione folon MEET THE NEW NATIVES Ethnic diversity is on the rise The Florence of the future is alive, well and multi-ethnic. A recent study suggests that by the end of 2007, one Florentine in ten will be non-native. In a project sponsored by the City Council, the Foreigners Council of the City and Province, Arci Association and Florence s numerous neighbourhood districts, researchers are striving to reveal the city s new dynamic cultural identity. The result of their efforts? A New Citizens Guide which provides 190 pages of information on formal and informal avenues of cultural exchange, collected from a myriad of local foreigners associations. The guide offers an international map which traces the development of diversity within the city, how different communities integrate and how they maintain their own ethnic identity. La Nuova Giuda Cittadinanza shows where members of different racial communities spend their free time in the city. A day-by-day study of the city becomes a multicultural patchwork. Algerians gather in the gardens of Piazza Ciompi s Mosque during days of prayer. Immigrants from Sri Lanka prefer Thursdays near Piazza Indipendenza or Sunday at the Cascine. Eastern Europeans chose Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to meet up with their conationals in the gardens near Viale Milton. The new guide also provides information on how multi-ethnic trends affect the job market in Florence. For example, we discovered that during the 1960s the majority of foreigners working in the San Lorenzo market were of Greek origins. Then came the Iranians, now most are from South America, says Margherita Primi, one of the project s co-authors. As society evolves and we study it, we realize that this research project can never really end, says Eros Cruccolini, president of the City Council. The data, which can be downloaded for free from the City of Florence s offi cial website, will be constantly updated on the Internet.

5 News 5 Florence NEWS UFFIZI LUCKS OUT Colossal changes for Florence s favourite museum Thanks to much-awaited renovations, a project known as Grandi Uffi zi, Florence s most famous galleries are destined to grow from 5,400 square meters to over 12,000. In a recent meeting with Italy s Vice Premier and Minister of Cultural Patrimony, Francesco Rutelli, museum superintendent Antonio Paolucci became the bearer of good news. The Uffi zi s dreams of renovation will become reality. This is a decisive step which will deeply infl uence the future of one of Florence s most beloved institutions, said Rutelli. More space, of course, means more crowds as the museum s visiting capacity would almost double in number. In the fi ve years it will take to complete the project, the Uffi zi s visitors are expected to go from today s daily dose of 4,000 people to as many as 7,500. As art-lovers become more numerous, so too will the works of art on display within the galleries. The Uffi zi currently exhibits 1,200 masterpieces, which are expected to become almost 2,000 by the end of The renovations pro ject, led by the Consorzio Cooperative Co struzioni of Bologna, will take more than 1,600 days to complete. Growth, of course, means time and money, almost 5 years and 25 million euro, in fact. A small price to pay, supporters say, for a kilometer s journey through the museum, then via the historical Vasari Corrider which runs over the Ponte Vecchio to connect with Palazzo Pitti. The famous corridor will be freed from the art and sculpture currently hosted in the area and reclaim its original function of connecting one side of the Arno to the other. Palace room raided Painting snatched from Palazzo Vecchio Nothing like a Florentine palace to tempt the palate of a hungry thief. After last month s raid of Palazzo Pitti s cash pot, another burglar strikes at Palazzo Vecchio. This time, the culprit leaves the pennies and sets his sights on a painting. An oil on canvas, painted by Ninno Tirinnanzi in 1953, was taken from the palace s Sala d Armi where it had been exhibited as part of the show Tirinnanzi: 60 years of painting The missing painting is called Meriggio and depicts a group of houses beyond a stone wall. Ninety-nine of the artist s other masterpieces were left hanging on a panel that had been especially installed for the Genio Fiorentino exhibition. All of Tirinnanzi s paintings were lent to Palazzo Vecchio by private collectors and were insured for a total of 800,000 euro. The Sala d Armi is not equipped with a video-surveillance system. The robbery was discovered by two of the palace guards, who believe that the thief had hid the painting under a jacket or in a rucksack. The case is currently in the hands of the Uffizi military police. The free exhibit was the first of its kind to honour Florentine artists of the 20 th century. The theft came as an unfortunate tribute to one of Florence s finest contemporary painters. Mud makes a comeback Tuscany leads the way to thermal tourism A weak dollar, a strong euro, and several years of worldwide travel-fear have forced the tourism industry in Italy to grin and bear it through tough times. Luckily, it seems the travel bug is back in business, with optimistic previsions for According to a recent study sponsored by the Tuscan Region, thermal spas are heading the list of the area s most sought after destinations. Nothing like a bit of mud to make things right again. Over 4 million people a year visit Tuscany s thermal resorts, and as Visitors to Siena this weekend will be able to compare their own efforts to keep young, healthy and beautiful with those used by the ancient Egyptians. The new exhibition entitled Igiene e bellezza nell antico Egitto (Hy giene and Beauty in Ancient Egypt) is on show at Siena s Santa Maria della Scala complex until September 17. The exhibition has been organized in collaboration with the Aboca Museum of Sansepolcro and the Tuscany Archaeology Superintendent s Department. Italy, which has been involved in important archaeological discoveries since the 19 th century, has a strong Italy s leader, the region hosts 14 percent of the peninsula s resorts. Almost half of the visitors are foreign and include a majority of English, Germans and Americans, anxious to enjoy the benefits of mud and hydro treatments. The sector experienced a 5.2 percent increase in visitors during the first months of To re-launch the sector, experts suggest tying the treatments to luxury and golf. The Tuscan Regional Council has recently announced plans to boost thermal tourism by linking the sector to medicine and art. Starting this week, Tuscan spas will be the first in the industry to experiment with a regional online reservations service. The service was inaugurated by Italy s Vice Premier, Francesco Rutelli, last week at Florence s APT. Online tourism in Italy has increased by 700 percent in the last ten years. Traditional health care and modern technology might just be the ticket to true summer relaxation. Cleopatra s beauty secrets revealed Siena show features ancient Egyptian cosmetics tradition in the study of ancient Egypt. More than 70 items, loaned from Florence s National Archaeological Museum, are on display. These include mirrors, make-up palettes, mortar-and-pestle sets, jewellery and funeral masks. Organizers have even reproduced authentic ancient Egyptian remedies, perfumes and cosmetics on the basis of ancient texts and archaeological evidence. One section is devoted to illustrating how perfumes were produced and which materials they used. They focus on hair-care, styles and dyes, and the methods Egyptians employed to treat corpses for funeral ceremonies. FOOTBALLERS BRAWL ENDANGERS CALCIO STORICO Violence threatens traditional tournament The fi rst game of historical soccer s 2006 tournament may be its last. Sunday s game spelled trouble for this strange hybrid of popular tradition which transforms Santa Croce s piazza into a rugby match turned battlefi eld. After almost ten minutes of inter-team brawl, the tournament was suspended, to the great disappointment of the crowds gathered to enjoy the annual event. Vice police commissioner Benedetti and commander of the Digos investigative police force went down into the fi eld in a futile attempt to restore order. The only good news was that there were no serious casualties. The fi ght was about the participation of unregistered players on the white team, and the ball was no where to be seen. We intend to present a petition, says Forza Italia councillor Massimo Pieri, exvice president of Calcio Storico Committee, asking that the event be cancelled this year. A year of refl ection may prove useful. It may be our chance re-start the games next year with entirely new players. In the meantime, Sports and Popular Traditions Councillor Eugenio Giani is taking his time to make the fi nal decision about this complex event.

6 6 National NEWS News in BRIEF More tears for terror An Italian soldier killed in a roadside bomb attack near Nassiriya in Iraq earlier this week was given a state funeral in Rome on Friday in a ceremony at the Basilica di San Paolo in Rome attended by the country s top political offi cials. Corporal Pibiri s death brought the number of Italians killed in Iraq since 2003 to 38. The latest bombing led to renewed demands for the immediate withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq. Italian new centre-left Premier Romano Prodi intends to withdraw all troops by the end of the year, in line with a deadline set by the previous government. Prodi stressed on Tuesday that Pibiri s death would have no repercussions on the timetable for withdrawal. Italian star fills Gandhi s shoes Actress Monica Bellucci has agreed to play the role of India s most powerful woman Sonia Gandhi in a new fi lm about her life. Director Jagmohan Mundhra pursued Bellucci for six months before persuading her at last month s Cannes Film Festival to play the Italian-born politician and latest torch-bearer of the Gandhi dynasty. Bellucci, 41, has appeared in more than 40 fi lms, including The Passion of the Christ, The Brothers Grimm, and as a rape victim in Irreversible. Italian melting pot More than 3 million immigrants currently live in Italy. According to estimates, that fi gure will increase by 300,000 by the end of In ten years, Italy will become the second most populated European country, after Germany, with regards to immigrant populations. In 2005, Italy issued a record one million visas. More than half were issued for tourism, and one fi fth involved requests for permanent residence. The majority of foreigners who come to Italy are transient visitors. NATO s Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer has asked the Italian government to reinforce its 1,400-strong contingent in Afghanistan to support NATO troops moving south in July, the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera reported recently. Between now and the end of July, we want to be ready to take control of the southern provinces from US-led coalition troops, he told the newspaper in an interview last Saturday. NATO s troops, already deployed in the north and west of the country, will be entering a destitute area where the Taliban are traditionally active. We are entering a difficult zone, explained the NATO chief. There is resistance from the Taliban, whom we must make understand that we mean business. We are going to double the force, to 6,000 men an increase from the 3,000 serving in the current US-led force. De Hoop Scheffer recently met Prime Minister Romano Prodi News Trouble with Taliban Nato calls for Italian troops in Afghanistan Tax hikes & budget blues Prodi plans to plow Italy s mountainous debts The new government took its first step towards straightening Italy s public accounts on Thursday, forcing several regions to put up taxes to cover a budget hole created by excessive health spending. The decision, taken during the centre-left government s first fullfledged cabinet meeting, affects six Italian regions out of 20. The regions - Liguria in the north, Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise in the centre and Campania and Sicily in the south - were told to raise income taxes and a regional business tax called IRAP because they had breached their health care budget limits. Economy Minister Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa stressed at a press conference after the cabinet meeting that the tax hikes were automatic under the terms of the 2006 budget approved by the previous government. He also said a tighter control would be kept on public spending, with constant monitoring by the chief state accountant s and Foreign Minister Massimo D Alema on Friday to discuss the operation, but no details of their talks were released to the media. De Hoop Scheffer told the paper: We discussed with your government what more it could do. We need more planes. If Italy were to ask whether we want more troops and special forces, I would say yes, certainly, but I do not want to join in Italy s internal discussions. Italy has 1,400 soldiers serving in NATO s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), 1,000 of them in Kabul and 400 in Herat. Two Italian soldiers were killed and four injured on May 5 in Kabul by a roadside bomb. Several radical leftwing groups in Prodi s coalition government are calling for Italy to pull its troops out of Afghanistan. The Taliban, ousted from power by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, have stepped up attacks in recent months across the south of the country. office. The minister said that all spending caps contained in the 2006 budget would be rigorously applied, including public administration hiring limits and reductions in ministry consultancy, advertising and chauffeur spending. Curbing Italy s rising deficit and public debt are the two most urgent tasks facing Premier Romano Prodi, who won the narrowest of victories against his predecessor Silvio Berlusconi in the April general election. Italy s budget deficit has breached the 3 percent limit for the past three years, rising to 4.1 percent in the highest level since It is seen as hitting some 5 percent of GDP this year unless budget adjustments are made. The previous government predicted a deficit of 3.8 percent this year and promised the European Commission that it would be slashed to 2.8 percent by the end of Brussels has ruled out an extension on that deadline despite the worse-than-expected accounts situation. VATICAN SEES RED Church offi cial attacks World Cup sex-trade The Vatican has expressed alarm over reports that thousands of women may be forced to go to Germany and work as prostitutes during the World Cup which started last Friday. Monsignor Agostino Marchetto, Secretary of the Pontifi cal Council for Migrants, said it was already bad enough that prostitution was legal in Germany. What is worse, he said, is that a predicted 40,000 more women would now enter the circuit. Many of them are forced into this activity against their will. They are the object of traffi cking, he said in a recent interview with Vatican Radio. With about a million people expected to fl ood into Germany starting June 9, there is widespread expectation that the country s sex industry will experience a boom. Several human rights groups have predicted a demand for extra prostitutes who would probably come from countries in Eastern Europe. Some red cards should be handed out to this industry, to its clients and to the public authorities which host the event, Msgr. Marchetto said. Prostitution violates the dignity of human beings, and women become merchandise to be bought, at a cost which is even less than that of a ticket for a soccer match. The United States recently wrote to the German government about the same issue and raised its fears in meetings with offi cials in Germany.

7 Germany World Cup Italy kicks off with win Sports 7 Sports NEWS Sports in BRIEF Track and Field: Powell rivals world record Jamaican Asafa Powell ran 9.77 to equal the 100 metres world record on Sunday at the IAAF Grand Prix in Gateshead. He broke Maurice Greene s old record of 9.79 when he ran 9.77 in Athens last year. American Justin Gatlin then ran the same time in Doha last month. Andrea Pirlo and Vincenzo Iaquinta both found the net as Italy began their Group E campaign with a 2-0 win over Ghana. Milan midfielder Pirlo bent a fierce low shot into the bottom corner six minutes before the interval, before sub Iaquinta sealed the win with a late strike. Ratomir Dujkovic s African first-time qualifiers gave a fine performance, with captain Stephen Appiah s and Michael Essien s energetic presence in midfield. But while Marcello Lippi s line-up struggled with the Ghanaians athletic strength, the talent of Pirlo and Francesco Totti, and the presence of Luca Toni in the final third provided the Azzurri with the edge. Serie A top scorer Toni eliminated doubts as to whether he could bring his domestic form onto the international stage with a bullying performance that had everything but a goal. The Fiorentina forward crashed a fine effort off the underside of the bar in a sparky first half, while playmaker Totti stung the hands of erratic Ghana keeper Richard Kingston with fierce long-range efforts. But it was a touch of Pirlo class that provided the breakthrough. Totti s quicklytaken short corner caught Ghana sleeping. Their failure to close down Pirlo was criminally negligent and they paid the price as the ball pierced a packed penalty area and arrowed into the net. Cycling Tour - Switerland: Bennati lively in yellow After he claimed the yellow jersey in the Tour of Switzerland, Daniele Bennati was surprised Tom Boonen didn t fi ght to defend the overall lead. Though another Italian Daniele, Contrini, won Sunday s stage, Bennati was pleased as punch to be wearing yellow as he headed into Stage 3. Football Serie A: Guidolin busts back to Palermo Palermo has reappointed Francesco Guidolin as coach, the Sicilian club announced on Tuesday. Under Guidolin, Palermo won promotion to Serie A in May 2004 and then fi nished sixth in the season. Guidolin, who spent last year coaching French side Monaco, has replaced Giuseppe Papadopulo. Palermo fi n- ished eighth last season to earn a place in the Intertoto Cup. Germany World Cup Czechs roll over the USA A pulsating performance from the Czech Republic saw them become 3-0 winners against a capable USA team in Gelsenkirchen on Monday, with Arsenal new-boy Tomas Rosicky scoring two goals. Rosicky, in tandem with veteran Pavel Nedved, ran the show in the middle of the field for long periods. It was a very different partnership that opened the scoring for the Czechs in the fifth minute. Right back Zdenek Grygera found oceans of space down the flank and put in a pinpoint cross for Jan Koller to thump home with his head. Grygera was instrumental to the Czech attack in the opening exchanges. Captain Claudio Reyna picked up the ball in midfield and unleashed a ferocious shot that cannoned off the inside of the post and to safety Formula 1: Alonso bags British Grand Prix Defending world champion Fernando Alonso blew away his opposition on a windy day at Silverstone to take his fi fth win of the season in the British Grand Prix on Sunday. Spaniard Alonso (24) led from start to fi nish to give Renault their fi rst Silverstone win as a constructor since He beat German Michael Schumacher (37) by 13.9 seconds to extend his world championship lead over the Ferrari driver to 23 points. Finn Kimi Raikkonen was third for McLaren. The race started in a dramatic fashion with Alonso leading away from pole position ahead of Raikkonen and Schumacher. The action was further back though, as American Scott Speed, driving a Toro Rosso, tipped the slow-starting Ralf Schumacher into a slide at the high-speed Beckett s corner. The 30-year-old German did superbly to recover the wayward Toyota, but as he rejoined the racing line, Australian Mark Webber smashed into his right-hand side in his Williams, eliminating both cars instantly. Speed also retired in the pits with front-end damage at the end of the lap. After two laps at slow speed, racing was resumed, although Raikkonen nearly hit the rear-end of Alonso s Renault as the safety car pulled in. Halfway around the lap, Raikkonen attempted to overtake Alonso at the fastest point on the circuit, but was forced to back off, allowing Michael Schumacher s Ferrari onto his tail. Schumacher dived down the outside of the McLaren into the Abbey chicane, but was unable to pass as Raikkonen squeezed him to the edge of the track. Photograph Florence..and Fly to SARDEGNA!! Send your photo to info@theflorentine.net Each week Ryanair will be offering two round trip tickets Pisa-Alghero (Sardinia), which will be awarded to the photographer of the Pic of the Week. The winner will be chosen by The Florentine editorial staff...and the winner is... author: Caroline Elo title: Pane Bread in vicolo

8 8 Movie REVIEWS Movies in English showing in Florence Weeks June 15 - June by James Douglas Thursday June 15 Monday June 19 ODEON THEATRE Tuesday June 20 Thursday June 29 ODEON THEATRE Thursday June 22 ODEON THEATRE A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION Radio like you ve never seen it before. Garrison Keillor is GK in Robert Altman s A Prairie Home Companion, a name familiar to listeners of Keillor s long-running radio show out of St Paul, Minnesota. The movie concentrates on the fi nal broadcast of a radio show very similar to Keillor s, and in true Altman style examines an intricate web of interconnecting stories on and off air among the show s characters. A warm musical comedy and affectionate tribute to the magic of radio, clearly revealing Altman s softer side. The collaboration with Keillor is a perfect match. THE DA VINCI CODE Tom Hanks as cryptologist Robert Langdon is on auto-pilot and does little to sustain interest. Audrey Tautou as his bland investigative side-kick, Sophie, trails along, speaking zombie English and providing ornament in place of the love interest the story lacks. Only the dry wit and underplayed villainy of Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh, and Paul Bettany s stunningly demented and menacing monk Silas save Ron Howard s movie The Da Vinci Code from the pedestrian and the mundane. Dan Brown s novel, based on a dodgy premise and a determination to scandalise believers with vaguely plausible mumbojumbo, at least had the pace and verve of a sensible thriller. The movie is slack and plodding and mediocre. Everyone on the planet will see it. Monday June 26 ODEON THEATRE FIREWALL An old-fashioned Hitchcockian thriller dressed in new technology, Firewall is graced with unnecessarily good performances from mega-star Harrison Ford and the excellent Paul Bettany in favourite villain mode. Pity about the plot holes, then, and the overall silliness of the hostage drama premise. But even pensioner Ford playing spring chicken eye candy and performing tricks of alarming youthfulness won t really win any one over. Perhaps the dog will AMERICAN DREAMZ Imagine a country where the President never reads the newspaper, where the government goes to war for all the wrong reasons, and more people vote for a pop idol than their next President. Fortunately, you don t need to. This country exists and it s the USA! American Pie s Paul Weitz s biting satire on TV reality shows and contemporary American politics, American Dreamz (the fi nal z says it all) targets American Idol and its nasty presenter (Pop Idol s Simon Cowell), as well as a moronic president (probably George Bush). Dreamz deals a series of low (i.e. unsubtle) blows at the popular idiocy of TV talent competitions, their contestants (a Britney Spears-like Sandy Kendoo played by Mandy Moore) and presenters (Hugh Grant in the Cowell role), and draws a parallel with the occupant of the White House (Dennis Quaid as President Staton) and his engagement with the non-free world. Too close to the bone for some. Not explosive enough for others. Maybe teenage smut was better. Tuesday June 27 With a fi rst-rate cast (Atkinson, Smith, Scott-Thomas and Swayze) this black comedy ought to take off, but instead it remains frustratingly earthbound staggeringly unfunny according to one noted reviewer. In Keeping Mum, Atkinson does little to elaborate his English vicar persona as he learns that his wife (Scott-Thomas) is having an affair with a golf pro (Swayze). Murderous Maggie Smith, as always, brings class and dignity to ODEON THEATRE KEEPING MUM the proceedings, but is it enough to raise a laugh in a movie that lacks bite, originality and humour?

9 What s on & Where to Go 9 Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 OUR TOP PICKS t t t FESTIVAL OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST - June 24 On June 24 Florence will celebrate the birthday of its patron saint. The choice of St. John the Baptist as patron of Florence goes back hundreds of years during the city s Longobardo domination, when Florence converted to Christianity. The previous protector of the city was the Roman god Mars, honoured by citizens in a temple that once graced the same spot where the Baptistery now stands. Thanks to his courageous and rebellious nature, Florentines probably considered St. John a worthy Christian substitute of the god of war. Florence, a community founded on trade and commerce, immediately placed the effi gy of the saint on its Fiorino coin, as guarantor that the coin contained 3.54 grams of gold. The use of St. John s Fiorino coined the phrase San Giovanni non vuole inganni, or Saint John doesn t want deceit. Records of festivals in his honour appear from the XIII century onwards. During this time of year, the Baptistry which Dante called il bel San Giovanni and the surrounding piazza, becomes the centre of political and religious life in Florence. Citizens can enjoy a series of ceremonies, including a traditional parade that starts from Piazza della Signoria. On June 24, Florentines wait for the sun to set and crowd the streets overlooking the Arno to enjoy the saint s traditional fi reworks display. THE MEDICI MONTH - June The Medici Month, currently in its fourth year, has become one of the most popular events of the summer and combines art history, and entertainment. It includes a packed cultural calendar that reveals the history of Florence through anecdotes of the Medici family during their three centuries of Florentine rule. The Medici Month remembers both well-known and more mysterious Medici, casting them as characters in original theatre plays. These fresh and exciting theatrical events fi nd their natural stage throughout the city in the churches, gardens, and palace halls that were created or loved by the Medici family. In addition to theatre, the Medici Month includes guided visits and conferences hosted by important Florentine personalities which allow afi cionados to get to know the history, lifestyles and art that have made this family essential to the Florentine identity. For info and a full calendar of events: PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO - June World preview of clothing and accessories collections for the 2007 spring-summer season. Each year Pitti Immagine Uomo opens the fashion season in Europe and around the world. This trade fair presents a huge variety of contemporary men s fashions. This important event will be followed by two related exhibitions, Pitti Bimbo and Pitti Filati which display children s clothing and knitwear. SUMMER NIGHTS - From June to September Enjoy numerous events sponsored by the City Council and various neighbourhood districts. Every night in piazzas, palaces and gardens throughout Florence, city-dwellers can chose between theatre, dance, music, art and culture. Check the Ongoing Summer Nights section for news on different events. Those inspired to treat themselves to an evening away can also fi nd a Summer Nights section in the Out of Town events column. 24th ETHNO-MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL - June Once again this year, the ethno-music fi lm festival presents an interesting selection of fi lms from all over the world, featuring great international musicians on the big screen. All fi lms will be in original language with subtitles in Italia. CORTEGGIO STORICO DI MONTEMURLO - Montemurlo, June 25 A re-enactment famous 1537 battle between the Florentines lead by Baccio Valori and Filippo Strozza against the troops of Cosimo I de Medici. The week before the re-enactment (from June 17 to 25) the town organizes a series of related events including donkey races, vintage motorcycle rally, Renaissance banquets and antique markets. 40th Anniversary of Florence Flood Do you have a story to tell about the Flood of 1966? Were you a mud angel or do you know one? Do you have photos of those days in Florence? The Florentine is preparing a special edition for the Flood s 40th anniversary Distributed all over the world in September. Write to: the_flood@theflorentine.net mbership card necessary FRIDAY 16 DANCE Buenos Aires Tango! Rampe di Piazza Poggi, San Niccolò, tel , GUIDED TOURS Musica del Novecento a Firenze Piazza della Repubblica, tel , Students concert Conservatorio Statale di Musica Luigi Cherubini, piazza delle Belle Arti 2, tel Orchestra della Toscana K. Mitsuhashi director, A. Boyanova violin Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Pablo Mirò & I Magnapasta Piazza Ghiberti, Marco Fontana Il Tallone d Achille Casa del Popolo, via di San Romano 1, Settignano, Il Castello by Franz Kafka K.P.L.B. Project - Kafka, Pavese, Lispector, Beckett San Salvi città aperta, via di San Salvi 12, tel , Il Re è solo Stefano Massini writes his version of Shakespeare s King Lear Stibbert Museum, Via Stibbert, 26, tel , booking required, & 22.45, 13 Creature Acrobatic theatre from Africa Estate Fiesolana Teatro Romano, Fiesole, tel , esolana.com Tondastrocca Villa Fabbricotti, via V. Emanuele II 64, tel , Rocky Horror Picture Show Ippodromo del Visarno, parco delle Cascine, SATURDAY 17 CINEMA Iberia (Spain) See Ongoing cinema MARKETS & FESTIVALS Fortezza Antiquaria Piazza Indipendenza, all day From Hollywood to Florence a brillant meeting of fashion and art Art Center Florence, via Ghinellina 92 r (in front of Enoteca Pinchiorri), orence.it, Festival fiorentino dei giovani artisti Piazza Madonna della Neve, Concerto per la cittadinanza Arengario di Palazzo Vecchio, 21.00, free SPORTS & ACTIVITIES 67th Notturna di San Giovanni Walking race Starting point: piazza San Lorenzo; arrival in piazza Duomo, at 20.30, info , Il Castello by Franz Kafka See June 16 SUNDAY 18 CINEMA El Milagro De Candeal (Brasil) See Ongoing Cinema MARKETS & FESTIVALS Fierucolina d Estate o di S. Filippo e Giacomo Piazza Santo Spirito all day Historical Florentine Soccer Tournament between the different districts, with historical pageant. Red vs Green Piazza S. Croce, tel , 17.00, 40/15 Lo gnozzo del libero scambio Non-profi t and private associations sell their wares. Giardino di Via Maragliano, all day, info and booking 5.it Fortezza Antiquaria See June 17 Estate Fiesolana Music by Rodrigo, Bach and Bartók Cattedrale di Fiesole, piazza Mino 1, Fiesole, Orchestra Sinfonica di Messina Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Sambae, Itaiata de Sà Ippodromo Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, Duo dissonance Auditorium della Clinica Medica di Careggi, viale Morgagni, renze.it, 10.30, free Musica latino-americana Le Pavoniere, parco delle Cascine, 20.00, free Buenos Aires Tango Milongue and tango Parco delll Anconella, via di Villamagna, SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Trotting race See June 18 Ippodromo Le Mulina, parco delle Cascine, tel , Il Castello by Franz Kafka See June 16 MONDAY 19 CINEMA Carmen a Khayelitsha (South Africa) See Ongoing Cinema A Prairie Home Companion Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, Rock Competition Ippodromo del Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, Orchestra Sinfonica di Messina See June 18 Concerto di formazione bandistica Arengario di Palazzo Vecchio, 21.00, free Il Castello by Franz Kafka See June 16 Il Re è solo See June 16 TUESDAY 20 CINEMA Habana Blues (Cuba) See Ongoing Cinema The Da Vinci Code Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, GUIDED TOURS L antico Oratorio di Santa Maria delle Grazie e l ex Chiesa di San Jacopo tra i Fossi info & booking tel , It.geocities.com/associazione_akropolis Arte, storia e cultura: il Teatro della Pergola Meeting point: Giardino della Carraia, via dell Erta Canina, at 20.30, info: , MARKETS & FESTIVALS Mercato delle Cascine Parco delle Cascine, in the morning I Solisti Fiorentini Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel ,

10 10 What s on & Where to Go Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 C. Coin and M. T. Andreotti in concert Chiesa di San Gaetano, piazza Antinori, 21.00, free WEDNESDAY 21 CINEMA Rembetiko (Greece) See Ongoing Cinema British Institute of Florence, Lungarno Guicciardini 9, tel , 20.30, membership 5, entrance 5 DANCE Dance Performance School Rampe di Piazza Poggi, San Niccolò, tel , LECTURES & CONFERENCES Yoga della Risata Parco di Villa Favard, via Aretina 511, info Zoffany s Tribuna of the Uffizi : George III and Queen Charlotte s personal Grand Tour Jennifer Scott works at the Royal Collection where she is Assistant to the Surveyor of The Queen s Pictures. British Institute of Florence, Lungarno Guicciardini 9, tel , 18.00, free MARKETS & FESTIVALS 70 Pitti Immagine Uomo Men s wear and accessories collections. Access reserved to operators Fortezza da Basso, v.le Strozzi 1, tel , renze-expo.it, all day Fete de la Musique, concerts Musical marathon Institut Français de Florence, Piazza Ognissanti 2, tel , from to midnight Le Feste della Musica Music by W.A. Mozart, D. Cimarosa, F. Schubert, A. Dvorak, J. Brahms Teatro Puccini, via delle Cascine 41, tel , Carmen by G. Bizet Giardino di Boboli, Parco delle Colonne, tel , Filarmonica G. Rossini Piazza della Signoria, 21.30, free Florence Symphonietta in concert Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Medilatina Piazza Ghiberti, Serata Jazz e Musica di Film Teatro di verzura del Giardino Bardini, via dei Bardi 1r, Concerto Vocale da Camera Chiesa di S.Maria di Peretola, Evening concert of the students See June 16 Il Re è solo See June 16 THURSDAY 22 CINEMA Swing (France) See Ongoing cinema American Dreamz Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, DANCE Dance Performance School See June 21 GUIDED TOURS La città dei Medici Il Mese Mediceo info & booking , 6 I restauri appena compiuti all interno dell Aula Minerva See June 20 Visit to Villa Le Balze Fiesole, MARKETS & FESTIVALS Flower Market Via Pellicceria, in the morning 70 Pitti Immagine Uomo See June 21 I Fiati della Scuola di Fiesole Giardino di Boboli, Grace Kim (Corea) pianoforte Florence International Music Festival Auditorium delle Regione toscana, via Cavour 4, 18.00, free The Gillette Chamber Singers Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del Corso, tel , Concerto di formazione bandistica Arengario di Palazzo Vecchio, 21.00, free FRIDAY 23 CINEMA Craj, domani (Italy) See Ongoing cinema DANCE Dance Performance School See June 21 EXHIBITS Acido Surtido Art, design and videos produced in Argentina Tan Gram, via Serragli 3r, info MARKETS & FESTIVALS 70 Pitti Immagine Uomo See June 21 O flos colende Sacred music: Mozart and Cherubin Cattedrale di S. Maria del Fiore, tel , renze. it, The Camerata Singers Chiesa di S.Stefano al Ponte Vecchio, Matteo Fossi and Edoardo Rosadini music by Brahms, Shostakovich, Schumann Auditorium al Duomo, via de Cerretani 54/r (ex Cinema Astra), Orchestra and Chorus of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Mozart and Cherubini music, Ivory Bolton director Piazza Duomo, orentino.com, First Baptist Youth Church Choir from United States spirituals and contemporary sacred music Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del Corso, tel , 19.00, free Estate Fiesolana Teatro Romano, Fiesole, tel , esolana.com, Morin Khuur Ensemble and Teresa de Sio Forte di Belvedere, Giaccio & Quatraro Il Tallone d Achille Casa del Popolo, via di San Romano 1, Settignano city, Evening concert of the students See June 16 SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Trotting race See June 18 Il Re è solo See June 16 SATURDAY 24 MARKETS & FESTIVALS 70 Pitti Immagine Uomo See June 21 San Giovanni Battista Celebration 9.00 Sala di Lorenzo in Palazzo Vecchio. Traditional parade starting at Palazzo Vecchio ending at the Baptistry of the Duomo Baptistry. Ritual of ceri (giant candles) Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo). Mass in honour of San Giovanni Battista, Patron saint of Florence. From Palazzo Vecchio Fochi di San Giovanni St. John Firework Display Piazzale Michelangelo, I Fochi sull Arno dai barchetti St John fi reworks seen from little boats along the Arno river Fiume Arno, info & booking , Historical Florentine Soccer Tournament between the different districts, with historical pageant of Florence. Final match Piazza S. Croce, tel , 17.00, 40/15 St. John Fair Historical center all day Music Festival Villa La Torraccia, Fiesole, tel , esole.fi.it, Musica nuda Forte di Belvedere, Le vie del Brasile Ippodromo del Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, Carovana Piazza Ghiberti, Festival fiorentino dei giovani artisti See June 17 SPORT & ACTIVITIES St. John boat race on Arno river Società Canottieri Firenze, tel , renze.it SUNDAY 25 DANCE Danza alla Limonaia Opening. See Ongoing Summer nights Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, MARKETS & FESTIVALS Mercato delle pulci Antique fair Piazza de Ciompi, all day Mercato piccolo artigianato Ippodromo del Visarno, parco Cascine, from In viaggio con Wolfang Amadeus Mozart Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Florentiner Brass Auditorium della Clinica Medica di Careggi, viale Morgagni, renze.it, 10.30, free Quintetto di fiati Operafestival Giardino di Boboli, Queen Sister Ippodromo del Visarno, parco delle Cascine, Les Italiens Orchestra Forte di Belvedere, Estate Fiesolana See June 23 Musica latino-americana See June 18 SPORT & ACTIVITIES Trotting race See June 18 Passo della Calla e Valle dell Oia Starting point: Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station, at 7.45, info & booking MONDAY 26 CINEMA Firewall Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, Jazz concert Villa La Pietra, tel , Robert Fripp soundscapes & League of Crafty Guitarists Forte di Belvedere, In viaggio con W. A. Mozart See June 25 Evening concert of the students See June 16 Crimine contro la grazia San Salvi città aperta, via di San Salvi 12, tel , TUESDAY 27 CINEMA Keeping Mum Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, DANCE Opus Ballet Rampe di Piazza Poggi, San Niccolò, tel , GUIDED TOURS Guided visits related to itineraries/ theatre shows See June 22 Convento di Santa Maria degli Angiolini At via della Colonna, angolo via della Pergola. La Certosa del Galluzzo See June 20 MARKETS & FESTIVALS Mercato delle Cascine Parco delle Cascine, in the morning R. Arrighini trio Pareti, Salis, Cantini trio Forte di Belvedere, Florence Symphonietta in concert Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Serate Strawinsky & Nijinsky See June 26 L elisir di Caterina Il Mese Mediceo, shows and Medieval dinner Hotel Relais Certosa, Via di Colleramole 2, tel , 35 Il mercante di Venezia Grotta del Buontalenti, Palazzo Pitti, tel , WEDNESDAY 28 DANCE Comprami la vita. Un lavoro sull infanzia negata Area San Sanvi, via S. Salvi 12, tel , LECTURES & CONFERENCES What s it like to be a bat? Michael Griffi ths takes a look at the current state of consciousness studies, and the interface between consciousness within the context of the ongoing debate between creationism and Dawkins s selfi sh gene. British Institute of Florence, Lungarno Guicciardini 9, tel , Cantico di Frate Sole preview Badia Fiesolana, via dei Roccettini, San Domenico, Fiesole, Classical music concert Chiesa di San Gaetano, Cortile del Bargello, info: , , free Banda dell ortica Ippodromo Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, Jealousy Party + Uochi Toki Parco dell Anconella, via di Villa Magna, 22.00

11 What s on & Where to Go 11 Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 Concert by Homme Armè Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel , Klezmerata fiorentina Jewish music Chiostro di S.Maria di Peretola, Tempo Reale in concert Chiesa di San Gaetano (piazza Antinori Concerto per la cittadinanza Arengario di Palazzo Vecchio, 21.15, free Carmen by G. Bizet See June 21 Evening concert of the students See June 16 Vieni a vedermi ti prego tuo Dino San Salvi città aperta, via di San Salvi 12, tel , THURSDAY 29 CINEMA The Da Vinci Code Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel , , 20.10, DANCE Comprami la vita. Un lavoro sull infanzia negata See June 28 Scuola del Balletto di Toscana Rampe di Piazza Poggi, San Niccolò, tel , GUIDED TOURS Visita alla mostra La mente di Leonardo See June 20 visita a Villa Schifanoia Fiesole, MARKETS & FESTIVALS Flower Market Via Pellicceria, in the morning Vivere Jazz Festival Estate Fiesolana Teatro Romano, Fiesole, tel , esolana.com Pierrot e la luna Ippodromo il Visarno, parco delle Cascine, Orchestra da Camera Operafestival Giardino di Boboli, Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina Mozart, Schumann, Ysaye, Wieniawski Chiesa di San Gaetano, piazza Antinori, Vieni a vedermi ti prego tuo Dino See June 28 ONGOING CINEMA 24 Festival del Film Etnomusicale In original language with Italian subtitles June 17-23, 21.30, Arena Estiva del Poggetto, Via M. Mercati 24/B, 5 COMPETITION euro per 1 minuto Competition open to videos no longer than one minute, titles included. Deadline June 30, Videominuto PopTV, Festival Office, via del Rosso Fiorentino 2b, tel , the chosen videos will be shown at Centro per l Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato on September 9 Pencils for Peace A national competition for young cartoonists ages Deadline August 31, info tel or tel DANCE Danz&estate 2006: summer ballet Dance performances and competition by international choreographers June 26-July 8, 21.00, Teatro della Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, tel , EXHIBITS The Mystery of the Genesis in the Jorge Jimenez Deredia s Sculptures Forty sculptures made of Carrara white marble and bronze by Jorge Jiménez Deredia (Costa Rican). Boboli Gardens, Piazza Pitti, tel , closed fi rst and last Monday of the month, until September 30, 7 Behind the the big curtain a group of painters kept on working June 16-July 7, Mon-Fri 18-20, Sat-Sun 13-16, Atelier Rebecca Harp, piazza della Repubblica 3, 3 rd fl oor Sculptural studies & Drawings by Roger Phillips Until June 30, Mon-Fri, 9-17, Saci Gallery, Palazzo dei Cartelloni, via sant Antonino 11 New Liberalistic Pleasures June 22-September 10, Biagiotti Progetto Arte, Via delle Belle Donne 39/r, tel Appesi ad un filo: tessuti espressivi Photos by Giulia Naldini Until July 31, Maison Dumitru, Borgo Pinti 25r, tel La sacralità nel quotidiano. Mattew Spender sculptures June 21-August 21, 10-19, Museo e Area Archeologica, via Portigiani 1, Fiesole Opere di Quinto Martini Until June 25, Museo Casa Siviero, Lungarno Serristori 1-3, tel Quasi l infanzia, i bambini e lo sguardo dell artista June 20-Sept 17, Palazzo Vecchio, Sala d Arme, piazza della Signoria,tel Human game. Vincitori e vinti Stazione Leopolda, viale Fratelli Rosselli 5, tel , June21-July 23 Il sogno di una regina Museo Stibbert, via Federico Stibbert 26, tel , until July 9, Mon-Wed 10-14, Fri-Sun Personale di Vincenzo Chiazza Sculpture Until June 30, Limonaia di villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, tel Incontri Mediterranei Until October 10, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, via della Colonna 36, tel , renzemusei.it/archeologica Anna Romano Exhibition of paintings Casa d Aste Maison Biblot, Corso Italia 6, tel , until June 22, 16-20, closed on Sat & Sun Rifiuti Preziosi, Il Nouveau Réalisme e la cultura contemporanea Until June 30, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, tel , info, Fatti ad Arte A Collection of art work by Antonio lo Pinto, Dontatello Mei, David Palterer, Adriano Persiani, Leda Ratti Until July 15, Spazio 2 Piazza Stozzi, tel Columbus College of Art & Design Drawings, paintings, prints and photos Until June 16, 9-17, free, SACI Gallery Studio Art Centers International, Palazzo dei Cartelloni, via S. Antonino 11, tel , orence.org La Leda di Michelangelo e la seconda Repubblica Fiorentina until July 10, , Casa Buonarroti, via Ghibellina 70, tel Cibi e sapori dal mondo until June 18, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, via della Colonna 36, tel , Mon 14-19, Tues & Thur , Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun L Uomo del Rinascimento until July 23, 9-20, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, tel , Vu d Italie until June 30, 10-20, Museo Stibbert, via Federico Stibbert 26, tel , Scagliola inganno sublime until June 25, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour 1, tel , Totus Tuus, Giovanni Paolo II until June 25, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour 1, tel , Luciano Guarnieri paintings until June 18, Museo Archeologico, Sala Costantini, Chiesa di Sant Ilario a Montereggi Arte e Manifattura di corte a Firenze. Dal tramonto dei Medici all Impero ( ) until November 5, Palazzo Pitti, piazza Pitti 1, tel Firenze-Cracovia-Firenze until June 26, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour 1, tel , Gregorio Magno e l invenzione del medioevo until June 25, , Bibioteca Laurenziana, piazza San Lorenzo 9, tel Lorenzo Monaco: dalla tradizione giottesca al Rinascimento until September 24, , Galleria dell Accademia, via Ricasoli 50, tel , renze.it Mostra di pittori fiorentini neorealisti until June 30, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, tel , Miniatura Umbra del Rinascimento until June 25, Museo di San Marco, Piazza San Marco 3 tel , , Sat , Sun Photographic Exhibit Il Genio Fiorentino, Organized by the French consolate; photographs to present the extraordinary Florentine journey. Until July 22, Institut Français de Florence, Piazza Ognissanti 2, tel , orentino.it In Memory of Pope John Paul II Il Genio Fiorentino Until June 21, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour 1, tel , Scagliola inganno sublime Il Genio Fiorentino, Collection of works using inlay techinque Until June 25, Le Paglierie of Porta Romana (Scuderie) tel , orentino.it Vinci, Una Piazza per Leonardo Il Genio Fiorentino, Photographic exhibit by Aurelio Amnedola of Piazza di Mimmo Paladino di Vinci Until June 25, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via Cavour 1, tel , The Mind of Leonardo. Universal Genius at Work until January 7, 2007, , Tues-Sun, Galleria degli Uffi zi, Piazzale degli Uffi zi, tel , zi.fi renze.it The Renaissance Man: Leon Battista Alberti until July 23, 9-20, Fri until 23.00, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, tel , Ceramics by Paolo Staccioli until June 25, Palazzo Pitti, Museo delle Porcellane, tel , closed fi rst and last Mon of the month, 4 Pedalando nel tempo An exhibit of antique bicycles in the new ground-fl oor exhibition space of the Museum. until December 31, Museo di Storia della Scienza, piazza dei Giudici 1, tel , Mon-Sat , Tues , 2 nd Sun of the month Walk-In A collection of art work from young artists Until June 30, Galleria Alessandro Bagnai, tel Lights on Chinart Exhibit of Contemporary Chinese Art Until August 31, Palazzo Capponi all Annunziata, Via gino capponi 26, tel , Il Concerto della Natura Painting exhibit by Franco Azzinari Until June 23, Otel Ristotheatre, Viale Generale dalla Chiesa 9, tel , GUIDED TOURS Guided visits to gardens in Fiesole June, September, October on Thursday, info tel , esole.fi.it Museo Bandini until October 31, , Fiesole, via Duprè 1 Restoration of the cycle of frescoes by A. Gaddi in the Cappella Maggiore until December 31, Fri and Sat at 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16; Sun at 14, 15, 16, Chiesa di Santa Croce Itinerari e Incontri Guided visits, book presentations, and conferences Associazione Akropolis, Info , Artisans of the Oltrarno, in search of artistic craftsmanship Genuine Florentine artisan traditions Info , renze-oltrarno. net, all year Hortibus Collection & Garden tours Starting point: piazza S.Trinita, every Thur and Sat at 15.00, info , www. hortibus.com, 25 MARKETS & FESTIVALS Mercato San Lorenzo Florentine crafts, hand-made embroidery, paper, leather etc Streets around Basilica San Lorenzo, every day, all day Ciompi Antique fair Piazza de Ciompi, tel , every week day and last Sunday of the month Mercato del Porcellino Florentine crafts with straw, hand-made embroidery, leather, woodwork,and flowers Logge del Porcellino, every day, all day Accoglienza attraverso l Arte Evening meetings for expat residents of Florence Until June 30, MUDI Museo degli Innocenti, Piazza S.S. Annuziata 12, tel Organ and instrumental concerts Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del Corso, tel , all year, Mon-Sun 21.15, Sat 18.00, 11 Concerts at St. Mark s English Church The Orpheus Ensemble presents sacred music, Italian opera arias and Neapolitan Songs with piano and voice St. Mark s English Church, Via Maggio 16-18, tel , every day at 21.15, 15, for The Florentine readers 10 (Mondays free piano recital) Musicus Concentus Tradizione in Movimento 2006 Jazz and New Music Concerts Teatri di Firenze e della Toscana, tel , SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Navigating on the Arno River under Ponte Vecchio Rowing on the Arno from June to October, starting point: Lungarno A.M. de Medici and Lungarno Generale Diaz, tel , SUMMER NIGHTS Easy Living in Santo Spirito Live Music, Bar, aperitif, free wireless access all over the Piazza. Piazza Santo Spirito, tel , every evening. May 26 until September 10. Cure allo scoperto Every night events, music, outdoor bar, computer corner June 16-July 29, from 18.00, Spazio Giovani Cure, via Faentina 145, tel , Summer nights La Vasca at the Fortezza Live music, bar, dj Fortezza da Basso, Viale Filippo Strozzi, tel , renzestate.com/, free, until September 10

12 12 What s on & Where to Go Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 Reading Don Chisciotte FirenzEstate 2006 June 9-July 6, Chiostro delle Oblate, via S. Egidio 21, 21.30, from Mon to Fri. Free but invitation compulsury. Go to l Assessorato alla Cultura del Comune di Firenze, Via Ghibellina 30. Tel or to Compagnia Lombardi Tiezzi, via Domenico Maria Manni 55, tel Summerfest2006 Music, theatre and more May 26-Spet 9, every evening, Piazza Ghiberti (S. Ambrogio area) Hop Cavalca la Notte Music, sport and food Ippodromo del Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, June 8-August 6, from 18.00, every evening FirenzEstate 06 in Santissima Annunziata Music, theatre and more Piazza Santissima Annunziata, June 8 Sept 6, every evening Meridiani e Paralleli Piazza Indipendenza, May 5-Sept 10, every day from to 1.00 State freschi Music, theatre, sport & show Area Pettini Burresi, via Faentina 154, June 16-July 30, every day Apertura Parco e Piscina Le Pavoniere Music, shows, dj sessions, live performances, fashion, pool, food & aperitivi Le Pavoniere, parco delle Cascine, May 18- Sept 24, from Spettacoli itineranti sul fiume Theatre performances aboard small boats on the Arno Info & booking , June 6-July 7, starting point piazza mentana, 20 Firenzestate Il suono dell anima from June to September, Chiesa di S. Gaetano, Museo del Bargello, tel , renzestate.it Estate a San Salvi Theatre, dance, music, etc. June 10-Sept 10, every day, Area San Sanvi, via S. Salvi 12, tel , www. chille.it Ballo Liscio e Vernacolo show from June to September at 9pm, Giardini di Bellariva, lungarno Aldo Moro, tel Parco sud Music, cinema, dance, games for children, food May 26-Sept 9, Parco dell Anconella, via di Villamagna, every day, all day Di tutti i colori theatre, skateboarding and exhibit on Bartali June 12-July31, every day, Piazza Bartali Rime Rampanti Music, dance, theatre, games, dj set, drinks and food May 29-Sept 3, every evening from 19.00, Rime di piazza Poggi Estaz Events happening thoughout the summer including musical performances, fi lms and viewing of World Cup. June 5- July 26, every day, STAZ - Stazione di Confi ne, via Attavante 5, tel , ne.it Nel palco del Cardinale Mese Mediceo Giardino della Carraia, via Erta Canina, tel , June 18-23, L Elsa di sangue Mese Mediceo Mura di Firenze, Baluardo di San Giorgio, Forte di Belvedere, June 29-July 9, Firenzestate La Parola al teatro From June to September, Info & booking , renzestate.it CHILDREN GUIDED TOURS Il Giardino di Archimede, Mathematics Sundays Guided visits and surprise events at the Museum Il Giardino di Archimede, Museo per la Matematica, via S. Bartolo a Cintoia 19, tel , on the fi rst Sunday of every month SPORTS & ACTIVITIES The little joiner s shop Workshop to create wooden games, develops creativiy and dexterity. For children age 4 to 10 Il Cappello di Merlino, via Mazzetta 14r, tel , every Wed, The amazing circus of Merlin the Wizard Workshop to create circus equipment. For children age 4 to 11 Il Cappello di Merlino, via Mazzetta 14r, tel , every Thur, Artisti in erba free painting lessons outside June 8-July 1, Tues & Thurs, Villa Favard, via Aretina 511, tel The world through the senses Experimenting with the senses (taste, sight, hearing, touch, smell) through games and book-readings. For children age 2 to 5 Il Cappello di Merlino, via Mazzetta 14r, tel , every Fri, Ludoteca Il Castoro Every Monday: let s play together Every Tuesday: Handi-craft lab and painting Every Wednesday: let s use the videocamera Every Thursday: inventing and acting out stories Every Friday: fun and games in English Every day: book loaning and story-time for children and parents c/o Ludoteca Il Castoro, Via U. della Faggiola 68/A (Scuola Villani), tel Laboratorio di giocoleria al centro incontri di Compiobbi For children aged 12-20! June 23 & 30, Incontri, via Romena 58, Compiobbi, tel. 055/ Days of Prehitoric events Learning Laboratory for Children June 3, 10,13,15, 17,20,22,27,29. Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria, For more information call; Puppet show Il Cappello di Merlino, via Mazzetta 14r, tel , every Sat, OUT OF TOWN CINEMA Scrivo per sport Contest to select fi lms that have sports in Prato as their theme. Deadline July 15, Concorso Scrivo per Sport, Comune di Prato, Assessorato allo Sport, via Migliorati 1, Prato, info , , EXHIBITS Un Prato di Fiabe Exhibit of drawings based on fables Until June 25, , 16-19, free, Teatro Magnolfi, via Gobetti 74, Prato Omissis by Marco Neri Until July 30, 10-19, closed Mon, Tues, Centro per l Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, v.le della Repubblica 277, Prato, tel David Smithson & Bach Backwards Until July 30, 10-19, Centro per l Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, v.le della Repubblica 277, Prato, tel L ultimo sogno l acqua? Lella Rendesi personal exhibit Until June 28, 10-13, 16-19, closed Tues, Cassero Medievale, v.le Piave, Prato Intrecci Mediterranei, il tessuto come dizionario di rapporti economici, culturali e sociali Exhibit of Textiles Until September 30, Wed-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-14, Sun 16-19, Tue closed, Museo del Tessuto, via Santa Chiara 24, Prato, tel Pratoemozioni Photos by Alessandra Ribaldone & paintings by Italo Bolano June 29-July 29, 10-13, 15-18, closed Tues & Sun, free, Antiche stanze di Santa Caterina, via Santa Caterina 17, Prato, tel Mostra personale di Jonk Exhibit of 15 paintings by Jonk June 22-July 31, Tues-Wed from 21.00, Thur-Sun from 18.00, closed Mon, free, Spazio Polissena, piazza Sant Agostino 14, tel Alberto Moretti a Carmignano Until September 30, Thur, Sat, Sun 15-19, free, Rocca di Carmignano Mostra di pittura di Nello Sguanci Until June 30, Mon-Thur , , Fri , closed Sat, Sun, free, Confartigianato di Prato, Via Borgonovo 6, Vaiano Dialogo I/Dialogue Art Exhibit for Emanuele Becheri, John Duncan, Nobuko Tsuchiya. Until June 17 th, Tues thru Sat; 11-13, 15-20, Galleria Enrico Fornello, Via Paolini 27, Prato, tel Sentimenti Spaziali Personal Art Exhibit of Gabriele di Maio Until June 30 th, Hotel Trendy, Via Pistoiese 833, Prato, tel , always open Personale di Paolo Pasotto Painting Exhibit Until Sept 8, Confartigianato Prato, Viale Montegrappa 138, Prato, tel , Mon thru Thur; / , Friday Mornings, Afternoons on request. Primo Piano Words, Art, Actions, Music, a collection of live art. Over 400 pieces capturing the artistic movement of the 60 s and 70 s. June 14-September 18, Centro Arte Contemporanea Pecci, Viale della Repubblica 277, Prato, tel , Closed Mon/Tues, Wed-Thur , 5 I Segni del Territorio Discover the history and territory surrounding Prato. Until June 24 th, Palazzo Datini, Via Ser Lapo Mazzei 33, Prato, Info: GUIDED TOURS Guided walking tours around Calenzano From April to October, info , Villa Romana del Vergigno until June 26 during the week ends, 10-19, Montelupo Fiorentino, info Guided visits and excursions June 18, Info & booking , www. amicimuseiprato.interfree.it Villa Romana del Vergigno until June 26 on Sat and Sun, 10-19, Montelupo Fiorentino Guided tours in the Natural Reserve of Fucecchio marsh Padule di Fucecchio, tel , until June on weekends, On the Scaffolding with Filippo Lippi Visits to the restoration of Filippo Lippi s fresco (max 12 persons) Cattedrale di Santo Stefano, piazza del Duomo, Prato, tel , lippolippi.it, by reservation only, every Sat at 10, 11, 16, 17, Sun at 10, 11, 8 Abbey of San Salvatore and San Lorenzo a Settimo Badia a Settimo, Scandicci, tel , Wed, Fri 10-12, Sun , closed July and Aug The Ceramics of Montelupo Free guided visits of Archaeology and Ceramics Museum and participation in workshops Museo archeologico e della ceramica, Montelupo Fiorentino, tel , on Thur from to Wine and Fashion in the Florentine Mountains. Itineraries with guided visits, shopping Tours to discover the beauty of the Florentine Mountains. Visits to artisan workshops and local shopping centres All year Mon and Sat, Resco Travel, tel Visita al Museo Archeologico June 18, at and 11.00, info & bookings Visita al Museo Archeologico June 25, at and 11.00, info & bookings MARKETS & FESTIVALS Week-end of June Sacra rappresentazione The Annunciation of Maria. Re-enactment June 16, Chiostro Convento degli Agostiniani, Certaldo, tel Open shops under the stars Shows, food tasting June-September on Wednesday, Dicomano historical center Marea Music, games festival, meetings June 19-July 2, Buca di Sant Andrea, www. marea.fucecchio.it Arte e musica Art exhibition, music show, food tasting June 21, Villa Castagno, tel San Casciano Sempreaperta Performances and shops will stay open June, July on Thursday evening San Cascino city center, tel Fair of crafts, antiques and secondhand goods June 18, Dicomano city center Summer festival in Vitolini Historical re-enactment June 17, 18, 24, 25, Vitolini (Vinci) Handicraft and collector market June 17-18, Figline Valdarno city center Market for strange things and cherry festival June 18, Giardini Bombici, Fucecchio, International ceramic fair June 18-25, Montelupo city center Castelfiorentino at the table June 18, Castelfi orentino city center Celebration for Palio of Cerro June 18, Cerreto Guidi city center Pictures made with flowers June 18, Cerreto guidi city center, www. caracosta.it Dinner in Middle Ages style in the village of Certaldo June 17, Certaldo Alto, tel Fashion parade June 22, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo Miss Italia parade June 21, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo Holy patron feast June 18, Dicomano city center Corpus Domini celebration. Pictures made with flowers June 18, Fucecchio historical center Beer and music festival June 16-25, Parco comunale, Gambassi Terme Mushroom food festival June 17, 18, Palazzolo city center Charity activities festival June 18, Piazza Mazzanti, Incisa Valdarno Wild boar food festival June 9-18, Montespertoli city center Menar mascelle all or di cena Dinner in Renaissance style June 23, Piazza Castello, Vinci Festa di inizio estate Music & food June 17, 17.00, Villa Rucellai, via di Canneto 16, Prato, tel Le Bancarelle di Via Magnolfi Antique fair, collectibles, crafts June 20, , vuia Magnolfi, Prato A cena con Giacomo Puccini Dinner with music and history of Puccini June 22, 20.30, Art Hotel Restaurant, Viale della Repubblica 289, Prato, tel Festa del grano Hand ground wheat during the day, in the evening: singing, dancing and music in the barn June 17, Fattoria di Parugiano, via Montalese, Bagnolo, info Mercatino dell Antiquriato e del modernariato June 18, all day, Via Garibaldi, Poggio a Caiano Festa dei tortelli di patate June 17-18, loc. La Bertaccia di Schignano, Vaiano, at lunch & dinner Sagra del cacciatore June 18, Spazio Polivalente della Pro-Loco, Via Poggio 14, Cavarzano Week-end of June Chiantiinrock June 23, 24, Panzano in Chianti Estate montaionese Meeting of different cultures June 27, Montaione historical center

13 What s on & Where to Go 13 Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 Etnica Buskers in the village June 23-25, Vicchio historical center Antique and handicraft market June 26, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo Organic products market June 25, Piazza Matteotti, Greve in Chianti Stars and merchants in Strada Evening market with musical performances June 20, Strada in Chianti Fiera di merci di Reggello June 26, Reggello city center Little fair June 25, San Donato in Poggio city center Festival of the charity local associations June 22-25, Lago di Bilancino Sagra della chiocciola e del ranocchio Snail and frog festival June 8-25, Rignano sul Arno, Thurs thru Sunday. Il pane.. in pappa Bread food festival June 25, Borgo San Lorenzo, historical center Mushroom food festival Until June 18 on weekends, Palazzolo city center Festival of duck food June 29- July 16, Circolo ARCI, Cerreto Guidi Fish food festival June 23-25, Località Bassa, Cerreto Guidi Trofeo Isabella de Medici Flagwaving competition June 24, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Cerreto Guidi Ficattola food festival June 24- July 2, Fornacette (Montespertoli) Mushroom food festival June 24, 25, Cascia, Reggello Feast for St. Peter and St. Paul June 29, San Piero a Sieve city center Volo di Cecco Santi Re-enactment of the fl ight of Cecco Santi June 25, Lecore (Lastra a Signa) Alla mensa di Leonardo Food tasting and cultural events in the centre June 24, 25, Vinci historical center Snail food festival June 24, 25, Località. Spicchio (Vinci) Summer festival in Vitolini Historical re-enactment June 17, 18, 24, 25, Vitolini (Vinci) DiVini Profumi Gastronomic Manifestation in the Province of Prato. Until June 30, Info: Uffi cio Turismo Provincia di Prato, tel Sagra della Zonzella Pasta del pane fritta con salumi o nutella June 26, 16-20, Loc. Gavigno, Cantagallo, info La cena del Mercante June 29, 20.30, Ristorante Cantine del Redi, via 5 Martiri 29, Artimino, Carmignano, info&bookings Festa del grano Threshing of wheat during the day, in the evening: singing, dancing and music in the barn June 24, Fattoria di Parugiano, via Montalese, Bagnolo, info Corteggio Storico di Montemurlo From 8.00 to 23.00, historical parade 21.00, Montemurlo, info Novecento Antique fair and crafts June 25, Loc. Fornacelle, p.za Don Milani, info: Festa del patrono June 25, at lunch in the main square, Loc. Gagnaia, at procession starting from Parrocchia di Cavarzano, info Festa medievale - June 25 at dinner with tipical food of the ancient time (1133) and historical show. - June 26 at Trekking al Sasso alle Fate, at Medioeval Feast, info: Bayern Open Space Live Music Bayern, Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Prato, tel , , June 1-30 Mugello Music Festival June 22-25, Lago di Bilancino, tel Music at Palazzo Pretorio Concerts with guided tours and typical Tuscan dinner every Tuesday until September, Palazzo Pretorio, Certaldo, tel Concerto musicale June 19, Piazza Boccaccio, certaldo, tel Rock, jazz, gospel music concert June 20, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo, tel Orchestra della Toscana Music by Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Sarasate June 22, Figline Valdarno, tel , L estate di S. Francesco Music and performances on the Museum s terrace from June to August on Thursday, Terrazza del Museo di S. Francesco, Greve in Chianti, tel Giugno musicale. Opera concert June 29, Oratorio del Crocifi sso, Incisa Valdarno, tel Giugno musicale. Schola Cantorum choir in concert June 22, Santuario di Loppiano, Incisa Valdarno, tel Salotto musicale. Concerts June, July, the fi rst Monday of the month, Sede Pro Lastra Enrico Caruso, Lastra a Signa, tel National piano player Muzio Clementi award June 22-25, Villa Bellosguardo, Via di Bellosguardo, Lastra a Signa, tel Concert of choirs June 24, Chiesa di San Regolo, Montaione Concert of the choir Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft June 17, Piazza Branchi, Montaione Music under the stars June 18, Piazza Dante, San Godenzo Taranta & salentine music June 22, Parco di Villa Solaria, Sesto Fiorentino, Sicilian Live music June 28, Parco di Villa Solaria, Sesto Fiorentino, Negrita in concert June 29, Parco di Villa Solaria, Sesto Fiorentino, Festival delle Colline Modern music June-July in different places around Prato, programme info PratoEstate Concerts, performances, events, exhibits, etc. June-September, info: Ass. Cultura Comune di Prato, tel , La Plaza Pizzeria, bar, viewing of World Cup, music, other performances and children s area Until September 1, , Argine Bisenzio, Viale Galilei close to Ponte Datini, Prato, info: Anomalia Club, tel , Chiostro in Musica 2006 June 17, Chiesa convento di Galceti, via di Galceti 72, Prato, tel Chiostro in Musica 2006 June 29, Chiesa convento di Galceti, via di Galceti 72, Prato, tel Essere Visual Dj set, videos & drinks June 16-18, 21.30, Cantieri Culturali Ex-Macelli, piazza dei Macelli, Prato, tel Bayern Open Space, life music Until June 30, 22.30, Bayern, Via Gaetano Bresci 4, Prato PARKS Sculptures in a woodland In an untouched wood of ilex and oak trees in the heart of Sienese Chianti, many internationally renowned artists from fi ve continents have created imposing contemporary sculptures Parco sculture del Chianti, La Fornace 48/49, Pievasciata, Siena, tel , open all year Parco Mediceo di Pratolino Theatrical, musical and dance performances, inter-cultural themes. Pratolino, Vaglia, info , from Thur to Sun , 3, free Thur & Fri, until October 31 Stato Libero dei Renai This natural oasis offers numerous lakes, ponds, green areas, bird-watching spots, sport facilities, children s games, a swimming pool, etc Parco dei Renai, Lastra a Signa, Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00, Sat, Sun and holidays 9:00-20:00, free SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Collector fair. Ancient cars and motobyke June 17, 18, Lago di Bilancino Ancient motobyke meeting June, 16, Piazza Cavour e loc. Cavallina, Barberino del Mugello Beach Volley tournament June 22-25, Lago di Bilancino Bike tour June 25, Lago di Bilancino, Bilancino foot race June 25, Lago di Bilancino, National dog show June 27- July 2, Lago di Bilancino, tel Riding tours around the Bilancino lake June 24, 25, Lago di Bilancino, tel , Sailing Bilancino Championship. 5th competition June 18, Lago di Bilancino Sailing Campana Trophy June 24, 25, Lago di Bilancino Sailing competition Interlaghi June 25, Lago di Bilancino Guided walking tours in Calenzano June 25, Territorio di Calenzano, tel , Art and sport festival. Food stands, shows June 5-18, Località Cerbaia (San Casciano Val di Pesa) Bycicle competition June 18, Scarperia, tel , Typical river boats competition June 25, Canale Maestro del Padule, Fucecchio, tel , Handball international tournament June 17, 18, Palestra comunale Scarperia, tel , Feast for the holy patron with foot race and byke competition June 24, Vicchio historical center Calenzano discovered, walks through history and nature. Guided walking tours from April to October, Calenzano, info Bike tour June 25, info: UISP, tel , Cascina di Spedaletto Easy trekking tour June 17, Starting point: Circoscrizione Nord, via 7 Marzo 15, loc. Galcetello, Prato, at 8,30, free, info: I fuochi di San Giovanni visti dalla Calvana Easy excursion June 24, Meeting point: Via Filippo Mazzei, loc. La Querce, Prato, info: , free Le Selve di Sotto Easy excursion June 25, Meeting point: Via Filippo Mazzei, loc. La Querce, Prato, info: , free Cantagallo-Faggione di Logomano- Cantagallo Trekking tour, 7 hours walking, dinner at Rifugio Pacini June 25, at 8.00, meeting point: Bar Italia, Montepiano, Prato or at 9.00 at public parking in Cantagallo, Prato, Info & booking Walking by night Trekking tour: Albiano, Quercia dei Termini, Massacorbi, fattoria di Javello, Albiano June 29, from P.zza Don Milani, Montemurlo, info & booking ª Tappa Golfitaliano.it. Cup 2006 June 25, Pavoniere Golf Club, Prato SUMMER NIGHTS E...state al Poggio Fairs and performances June 11-August 26, Poggio alla Croce, Incisa Valdarno, tel Classical music concerts in some villas, castles and parish churches June 21-August 24, info tel , montespertoli.fi.it Summer in Sesto June- September, info tel , Summer in Tavarnelle Walking in the centre: performances and market, food tasting in the village June- August, Tavernelle historical center, tel , Summer at Demidoff Villa Theatre, cinema and music shows June- September, Parco Mediceo di Pratolino, Vaglia, tel Summer in Marcialla. Evening shows and games June 26-August 20, Marcialla, tel Pieve a Ripoli Festival June, July, Pieve a Ripoli, tel , Pazza fresca festa 2006 June on weekends, Circolo Arci Nova, Incisa Valdarno Festival of two villages June 29-July 9, Lucignano e San Pancrazio, tel Summer in Martignana June 3-August 22, Martignana (Montespertoli), tel Festival in two villages June 29-July 9, S. Pancrazio, tel Sport festival June-September, San Casciano Val di Pesa, tel Prato Estate 2006 Music, cinema, theatre June-September, info , Montemurlo Estate cinema, dance, folklore, music, theatre and sport June-September, every day, info Uffi - cio Cultura Comune di Montemurlo, tel Poggio In Vetrina Music, dance, shops open until midnight June 22-July 27, Poggio a Caiano, info Rassegna musicale Frog Stage 2006 Until August 13, every night, Urban Park, via Ferraris, Prato Il Silenzio dei Comunisti Silence of the Communist June 14-25, 21.15, Teatro Fabbricone, Via Targetti 11, Prato, tel , www. metastasio.it Gioco di contrari Theatre crime story of Porta al Sole June 16, Giardino di Palazzo Pretorio, Certaldo tel The night of friendship June 23, Terrazza del Museo di S. Francesco, Greve in Chianti, tel

14 14 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL An Interview with Francesco Piccininni People see Florence as a bit of a Disneyland. Francesco Piccininni was born in Altamura, Puglia, and has worked for the past five and half years in Florence as a carabiniere. Carabinieri work around the city, and are distinguishable by the red stripe that runs down the side of their uniforms. They are an Italian military corps with police and military functions, and are dispatched all over the world to serve their country. The carabinieri were originally soldiers, and their motto remains Nei Secoli Fedeli, Faithful throughout Centuries. The Florentine: What do you love about Florence? And about being a carabiniere here? Francesco Piccininni: I love being in the historic centre it makes me think of the Renaissance, the period I believe to be the greatest in Italian history. That period of time gave us the great art and architecture that we see today, and it evokes amazing feelings in me. My work allows me to explore the city in a totally different way from other people, and I get to see behind the scenes, such as night time in the Boboli gardens. Also, when I am in uniform, I feel proud to be Italian and part of this history. TF: What don t you like? FP: There is not much I don t like, to be honest, only perhaps when people don t respect the monuments. TF: Why do you believe that the role of the carabinieri is important? FP: Historically the carabinieri have served Italy and were considered the leading force. Today, among many activities, we ensure that crime is controlled, and there are a great number of special corps and departments to target different areas, from those that target art thieves, to those deployed on peace-keeping missions to places such as Kosovo. At a local level, I believe that the carabinieri offer a certain level of security. TF: When you leave Florence for a period of time, what do you miss most? FP: The sheer beauty of Florence, the buildings and the ambience that it creates. To me, there is no where else that gives me the same feelings. TF: Where is your favourite place to get a coffee? FP: Pascowski, in Piazza della Repubblica. TF: Where is your favorite place to go to dinner? FP: La Reggia, in Fiesole, for a romantic dinner with my girlfriend. The views are amazing, and on a summer evening, I love being able to look over the whole of Florence. TF: What s your favourite Italian dish? And where do you get it? FP: It has to be bistecca Fiorentina, and I go to Angiolino on Via Santa Spirito. TF: When you have guests, where do you take them? FP: Right into the centre of Florence. It is small enough to be able to walk and fi nd everything. I always show them the Duomo and the Campanile Giotto. TF: What s your favourite out of town excursion? FP: The little medieval towns around Tuscany such as Lucca and San Gimignano. TF: If you only had one day in Florence, how would you spend it? FP: I would go shopping on Via Tornabuoni and Via della Vigna Nuova. I love fashion and those streets have beautiful shops. TF: What is the most common misunderstanding English speakers have about Florence? And about the carabinieri? FP: I do feel sometimes that people see Florence as a bit of a Disneyland, or that the history and importance of Florence is lost. For example, the Italian language was born here, and people are not always aware of these things. Many foreigners do not understand the function of the carabinieri other countries do not have a force such as ours, with the two aspects of police and military power, and so we are a bit of a mystery. TF: Why did you decide to become a carabiniere? FP: There is such a vast array of opportunities within the carabinieri forces. You can work in virtually any fi eld you want, and travel the world if you work hard enough. I like adventure and new experiences and the carabinieri provide all of that! TF: In many countries the police or carabinieri are stereotyped negatively. What do you think about this? FP: I think a lot of it stems from misunderstandings about the role carabinieri play, and the extensive range of departments and sections that exist within the force. We are a part of Italy and its history, and I feel proud to be working with an organisation that upholds peace and works against crime. TF: What is the most common misunderstanding Italians have about English speakers? FP: I think that has to be the eating habits! Italians are often confused by eating bacon and eggs in the morning they usually stick to their coffee and pastry. TF: Who has been the most interesting person you have met here? FP: My girlfriend, without a doubt! TF: If you were to describe Florence as a person or personality, how would you do it? FP: I would describe Florence as a woman, maybe of around forty years of age, gentle and romantic, and very intelligent. She would have a passion for culture, art, architecture, and writing, and would be calm and serene, with a constant drive to learn more and more. TF: What do you think the gift of living in Florence is? How have you changed by being in Florence? FP: The inspiration that it provides. I come from the south of Italy, where family and tradition play such a huge role, and here I fi nd that the more open northern mentality has affected me, in a positive way.

15 Culture & CUSTOMS 15 All of the articles found in the following pages are written by independent collaborators. The Florentine seeks to publish stories that are interesting, entertaining, and useful to all of our readers. If and when a writer expresses opinions within his or her work those opinions should be considered to be those of the writer and not necessarily those of the publishers of this newspaper. If you wish to submit articles for consideration please contact us at redazione@theflorentine.net. ITALIAN VOICES: a window on language and customs in Italy... allora by Linda Falcone In Italy, when a person has no idea what to say, they usually start with allora. It buys them time. It s Monday night and I m desperate for a word. The rest of the world is out watching the World Cup on the big screen. Italy is playing tonight and everyone else knows the word they are looking for. If they find it, I will hear goal yelled from all open windows. Nice as that would be, the word I need still escapes me. In Italy, when a person has no idea what to say, they usually start with allora. It buys them time. So that s what I m going to start with tonight. It s as good an expression as any I suppose. Better than most, actually. Most words move within strict boundaries of meaning. Allora is well-versed on versatility. Adaptable as water, it conforms itself to almost any scenario. The dictionary will tell you that allora means so or thus but, in reality, the meaning of the word depends on who you are and how you say it. In Italy, when a teacher yells allora! it means you d better sit up and shut up. Trouble s a-coming. Either find a way to stop Carlo Sassetti from swinging on the shutters or be quick and close the window. The woman means business. There is a certain power in the expression, especially when it s accompanied by an exclamation point. Allora followed by a comma, however, changes the cards completely. Relax, it means her monologue is going to be long. Hours may pass before you ll be asked to look lively again. When the neighbor lady says allora it s usually accompanied by a question mark. Your mother has most likely told her all the gory details. She has already been adequately versed in your personal saga and has taken it upon herself to rearrange your story upside-down and backwards. All the signora needs now is just a bit more spice to make the batter come out right. Allora? she smiles as you come up the steps. What she means is cut to the chase. She knows you re in love, what she wants is the wedding date. When your colleague says allora it means your meeting might actually start going somewhere. Put your ears back on and start listening again, a plausible explanation may be provided. In work situations, allora is great for gathering evidence. It gives you time to gather your chips before you place your bet on a risky hand. My grandfather was an artisan and an allora man. He had the wonderful habit of talking to me as if we were always in the midst of a very important conversation. Ours was an on-going dialogue that started soon after I was born and just continued on and on until the sun set on his days. Allora bimba, he would say, whenever we met, as if he was just about to reach the conclusion of a discussion we had started six months earlier. He would always greet me with allora, like someone who was just getting to the good part of the story. I ve never thought about it before now, but for him, the word was a bridge across time. For my grandfather allora served innumerable purposes. It was let s see now and let s get to the bottom of this. Allora was what do you think? and where do we go from here? Allora was what he said every time he sat on his stool to make a new mirror. It was a word the man used to collect his strength, the prelude to all creative effort. But it was also the culmination of a job that pleased him. Once he finished his etching, he would hold the mirror up for me to see. Allora, tell me, is the work to your liking? Mostly he etched ladies and gents from the seventeenth century, falling in love under a cherry tree. The work was always to my liking. My grandmother died last week, almost twenty years after her husband. Perhaps this spring they will find a nice new tree to fall in love under. Perhaps they will have the chance to continue a conversation they had started years ago. If they meet again, he will greet her with allora, I m sure of it.

16 16 Culture & CUSTOMS Life in Italy Heard the latest about the Carabinieri? A closer look at Italy s military police force By Paolo Necchi There was this peasant who lived up in the mountains on a narrow road. One day, he saw a carload of carabinieri military police driving backwards up the mountain. Why are you driving backwards? he asked. Because we re not sure we ll be able to turn around up ahead. Later, the peasant saw the carabinieri driving backwards down the mountain. How come you re still driving backwards? the peasant asked. Well, the driver replied, We found a place to turn around. Understanding another country s sense of humour is arguably the ultimate test of your grasp of its culture. Many Italians love to entertain other people, to make them laugh, and they are at least as good at spontaneous wit as their British or American counterparts. When it comes to Italian jokes, carabinieri is a key word. Carabinieri jokes are less different from British and American ones than they might appear at first glance. But what distinguishes carabinieri jokes from ethnic, racial, or sexist jokes is the fact that they are not considered politically incorrect. Even though they rely on the stereotypical carabinieri s lack of intelligence, they are not perceived, even by the corps itself, as offensive. In fact, Italy s military police even feature carabinieri jokes on their own official website. We re the subject of fun and we intend to stay that way, affirmed a Carabinieri Colonel when asked whether he minded being the butt of everyone s jokes. But fun aside, we also intend to remain one of the pillars of Italian democracy. In Italy, two coordinated police forces coexist and cooperate with each other: the polizia di stato, or state police, which operate under the Ministry of The Interior and the carabinieri, a military corps with civilian police duties which are part of the Ministry of Defence. The corps was founded by the King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanule I, on July 13, 1814, even before Italy s unification. It owes its name to the gun originally used by its members, namely the carbine. There are similar forces in other parts of Europe, France s Gendarmerie and Spain s Guardia Civil are two prominent examples. A European Gendarmerie based in Italy is currently being formed. Italian literature, cinema and TV series bear testimony to the close link between the history of Italy and the history of the Carabinieri. Nineteenth-century Sicilian novelist Giovanni Verga, for example, underlined the clash between southern Italy s clan-based culture and the modern justice system. I don t need those with the plume; I can look after my own affairs, says one of Verga s characters who decides to take justice into his own hands. The hat plume is still part of the carbinieri s ceremonial uniform. The recently introduced Community carabiniere Service, a patrolling service provided by individual officers in urban areas, was created to establish stronger ties between the carabinieri and city residents in order to stimulate crime prevention at the local level. Not surprisingly, this innovative service has not passed unnoticed. In this new initiative, the community carabiniere is alone on his rounds, which debunks the popular myth that carabinieri always patrol in pairs because of their partial but complementary literacy skills. The stereotype that carabinieri lack brains may stem from the fact that most officers traditionally come from the south of Italy, an underdeveloped area of the country where the armed forces are one of the primary sources of employment. Ageold regional prejudice dies hard, and some people from other regions of Italy continue to look down on them. But, even though Italians delight in poking fun at them, most are also proud of their military police force. Citizens appreciate their work, their professionalism, their integrity, their generosity, and their presence in every part of the country even in the smallest village. The carabinieri have distinguished themselves in countless missions in A lady at zebra cross asks a carabiniere, Excuse me, officer, how do I get to the cemetery? Just cross the road when the don t walk sign is flashing, he answers. Italy and around the world, and the jokes made at their expense do not bring into question their bravery, their loyalty, or their achievements. One of Italy s most famous World War II heroes, in fact, was a 23-year old carabiniere by the name of Salvo D Acquisto. D Acquisto, who was shot by German troops after declaring himself responsible for the murder of a German soldier, saved the lives of 22 Italian civilians who were Workshop, Show Rooms and classes to be executed in retaliation for the murder. More recently, Iraqi suicide bomb attacks in 2003, which killed 15 members of the corps, and the nationwide surge of solidarity that followed last April s attack, proved how popular and well-loved the corps are.

17 Life in Italy 17 An art walk on the Oltrarno Exploring the other side of the Florentine coin By Vicci Recckio Travel & LEISURE There are three quarters along the Oltrarno in which you can still discover gifted artisans hidden away on narrow streets or in between the many tiny piazzas that dot the map. There are two sides to everything, especially when it comes to visiting and living in Florence. When we first think of the city, most people think of the breathtaking Duomo, the art-filled Uffizi, and the still standing Ponte Vecchio. However, there is another beautiful side to Florence, and this is the artisan-filled side of the Oltrarno. This calmer, creative side of the Arno offers an equally won- derful yet uncrowded escape from all the tourists on the northern side of the river. Visiting the Oltrarno workshops, and hopefully buying from the craftsman, is one way to recognize the centuries of shared talent handed down from artisan to artisan. Even the untrained eye can see the passion that is put into every single piece and the originality of their one-of-a-kind designs. It s a An Art Walk on the Oltrarno small political statement, but for me, there is something reassuring in supporting traditional crafts-people with a modern eye for design rather than an over-crowded, globalised chain store. There are three quarters along the Oltrarno in which you can still discover gifted artisans hidden away on narrow streets or in between the many tiny piazzas that dot the map. These areas include San Fre- diano to the far west, Santo Spirito in the middle, and San Niccolò to the east. Wandering into the workshops in these areas is much easier and more inviting than one may think. Discovering and visiting on your own is probably the best way to go, but for the more organized visitor, there are tour guides available to help lead the way to local artisan workshops. If you choose to discover the artisan workshops without a guide, a nice beginning is to cross Ponte A.Vespucci and just start strolling the vias in various directions. During this art walk you will see the works of many creative artisans: traditional workshops, contemporary art galleries, upscale antique and vintage shops, couture houses, and of course, fine Italian bars and trattorias. San Frediano Quarter- This quarter is for those who like to wander the Oltrarno with eyes wide open. If you stroll the vias off Piazza Carmine you will fi nd authentic artisans, but you have to scout them out. The artisans in this quarter don t necessarily have signs posted or even convenient hours (making them all the more authentic). Upon entering a workshop, don t be surprised to see aging artisans working and training their young family members. These new and aspiring artisans will often stop and share their designs and speak humbly of their talent. The neighborhood is quite spread out and somewhat quiet which in this tourist-fi lled city often ends up being a very, very good thing! Santo Spirito Quarter- This quarter lends itself to those who like diversity, not only in people, but also in art. Here you will fi nd groups of artisans crammed together on the block of Via Serragli. Within steps of one another, you can visit a contemporary artist who gives new life to antique pieces, and a guilder who makes magnifi cently carved frames. Continue down the street and you ll see a restorer who can turn something old into something even older, a vintage shop offering all the newest retro-trends, and a collection of antiquities for lovers of all things Asian. Don t miss the surrounding streets between Chiesa S. Spirito and Piazza Pitti. Keep an eye out for jewellery design workshops, fabric and furniture restorers, shoe cobblers, high-end antique shops, decorative painters, and artists specializing in marble and mosaic design. San Niccolò Quarter- This quarter is a little bit of San Frediano and a little bit of Santo Spirito combined. Well-hidden and often crowded with locals, this area is famous for artisans who specialize in handmade paper, fragrances, textiles, as well as food and wine. It s the smallest of the three quarters, but probably the biggest on style and charm.

18 18 Travel & LEISURE Life in Italy It s summertime and the living is easy The beautiful season comes to Santo Spirito By Miriam Hurley The piazza was invented for warm summer evenings, sipping a drink, crossing one s ankles and admiring the strollers-by. Piazza Santo Spirito is one of Florence s finest for these purposes, with its lush trees, the majestic curls of Brunelleschi s 15 th -century church façade, and its Oltrarno location. The Santo Spirito/San Frediano neighborhood has a down-toearth, hearty Florentine attitude flavoured with old-school yet progressive creativity. It became the heart of the other Florence a few years ago, but Santo Spirito s rightful grit has started to degenerate into grime and its languid beauty started to be marred by unsavory tinges, as drug dealers have settled into the area. Last year, Piero Iervolino and Jacopo D Albasio of the association PiazzArt launched Easy Living, a summer-long, much-encompassing event in Santo Spirito to counter this trend. Piero explains, I love this neighborhood and I love this piazza. We wanted to do something to give Santo Spirito back to the neighborhood and reflect its spirit. Back for its second year, Easy Living in Santo Spirito hosts events every evening from May 26 to September 10. Organized by PiazzArt and Quartiere 1 of the city government, it mingles a low-key mix of music, theatre, art, literature, design and beer. Evening events include Musica al Tramonto [Music at Sunset] with young Florentine musicians playing relaxed, fresh summer music like jazz, swing, flamenco and Cuban sounds. They play quietly enough to not disturb the piazza neighbors and end their jam sessions at 11 pm. Every Sunday evening, there will be a DJ set to give weekend beach-goers a chance to shake off the sand and continue their idyll. Other events on the roster (to be posted on (in Italian) and available in the piazza at the info booth) include theatre events, dance performances and readings. In the special events category: during the World Cup, matches will be broadcast on a jumbo screen; and on June 21, as part of the Maggio Musicale music festival, a classical music concert will be held in the piazza. Up with (and ahead of) the times, the entire zone will have free wireless Internet access all summer, and the association Anelli Mancanti ( has set up a renegade short-range television broadcast about the neighborhood. A literature area will have art and design magazines and host readings. An information booth near the bar will dispense information on the neighborhood at large. True to Santo Spirito s grassroots, Alternative Soul, the temporary bar by the stage was designed by Space Studio following the tenents of green building, with low energy consumption and made of recycled materials. At apertivo hour (about 7pm to 9pm), a buffet is offered at the bar Pop Art on the piazza. Otherwise, gelato and sandwiches can be bought nearby for a wellrounded summer meal. The opening night on Friday, May 26 was a grand success. The faces of the large relaxed crowd enjoying the music showed plain joy at the onset of summer, at last, and happy visions of months to come filled with such evenings in their city. The feeling was fluid as people milled between the bars, the church steps and the central fountain, seating by the stage and curbs. The buzz of happenings and creativity stirred up, is pulled off with a sense of jazz-like ease and action, perfect for the season. Of course, that ease is an illusion, as the event is the result of hard work by the organizers, community members, artists, local retailers and workers. The idea driving the PiazzArt association is that the Oltrarno community can reclaim its spaces by coming together in its shared interests. A few nights into Easy Living, Piero, one of the exhausted organizers, was able to look with satisfaction at the vibrant Santo Spirito summer underway and say that it was all worth it, as this was just what they wanted. The reclaiming of Santo Spirito can claim success. For more information: About Easy Living: (in Italian) About the Oltrarno neighborhood: Miriam Hurley is originally from the West Coast of the U.S. and is happy to now live on the left coast of the Arno. She is a certifi ed Italian-to- English translator ( SAM S MARKETS Florence Amsterdam SAM'S Amsterdam opening soon! Try Sam s for a bit of America!! Over 250 products imported by Sam s from the USA: Skippy Peanut Butter (Crunchy and Smooth), A & W Root Beer, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, Welch s Juices (Grape, Cranberry)Lipton Cup a Soup, Oreos, Hunt s Chile con Carne, Starkist Tuna, Starbucks Coffees, CoffeeMate, Heinz Baked Beans, Jiffy Pie-crust & Cake Mix, Reeses Pieces, Hershey s Candies, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Chips Ahoy, Squirt, Planters Salted Peanuts, Chef Boyardee Soups, Betty Crocker Cake Mixes, Croutons and Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie Mix, Hellmanns Mayo, Nutter Butter Cookies, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Cheez-it, Doritos, Pop Tarts, Campbells Soups, Nabisco Saltines, Pop Secret Popcorn and a lot more! SAM S HAS IT! Sam s is located in the center of Florence near the Bargello Museum Via Ghibellina 117r. - Tel Store hours: Mon-Sat am 7.00 pm

19 Life in Italy 19 Travel & LEISURE You meet the nicest people in a cemetery Looking for art in unlikely places By Steve Soper Cemetary Porte Sante So you re asking, why write about cemeteries, let alone visit them? I mean, that s pretty morbid, isn t it? Well, I suppose in some parts of the world anything connected with death must be avoided at all costs; but in Italy there is not only great respect for the dead, but there is also a concrete link between the living and those who have passed on. This is evident, for example, in the sheer number of flowers, fresh and otherwise, that constantly adorn Italian cemeteries. There seems to be a keen desire to share the memories of those who passed away, either through the use of photographs or, even more fascinating, through the use of sculpture to help the passer-by understand that this was a person of some fame, or a person who died young, or a person who was in love, or a person who died for the glory of his country. There is also a link with the past in yet another way, between the spirit of the living and the dead. In fact, there are Italian cemeteries such as Porte Sante, adjacent to the Basilica of San Miniato, and Trespiano, some four miles northwest of the city, associated with the famous Etruscan necropoli. Built more than 2500 years ago those Etruscan cities of the dead housed not just the remains of their dead but also the spirit, the very essence of their culture, their world. And another thing that makes many Italian cemeteries like Porte Sante and Trespiano worth a stroll on a beautiful spring afternoon: each piece of artwork comes with a very real human-interest story. There are the war heroes, the artists, the rich and the very rich, the one-time great noble families, the teachers, the visitors they are all here and many wanted to leave a bit of themselves behind so that you, a passing stranger will know at least a small part of their story. Take for example the Cappella Lorenzini. Named after his village, Collodi, Carlo Lorenzini is best known by children and parents around the world as the creator of that little wooden puppet, Pinocchio. His little chapel is still filled with fresh flowers. And there s the small bust of Pellegrino Artusi, the father of Italian cookbooks. Then there are Mario and Maria Mazzone. The life-size statues of these two young people who died so very long ago make even the most casual observer stop and look for details of this love story. One sees a young man in an airman s uniform with a broad smile, looking squarely at the young woman whose gaze is turned slightly aside and downward, with just a hint of a smile on her face, their hands just about to touch. One looks closely and reads in the inscription that Mario, born in 1919, was killed in Hamm, Germany on 22 April 1944; Maria, born in 1922, died some 11 months later, in May of No other Mazzones are buried there, nor are there any clues as to who these people were. Were they lovers? Husband and wife? In fact, according to Graziella Cirri, who has done an exhaustive analysis of the sculpture in several Florentine Cemetary Trespiano cemeteries, Maria and Mario were in fact brother and sister and the statue was commissioned in 1947 by their mother. There are 17 cemeteries operated by the city of Florence, not including those burial grounds which are generally closed to the public, or are privately owned and maintained, for example the Jewish cemetery on Viale Ariosto, the Misercordia cemetery on Via degli Artisti and of course the English cemetery on Piazzale Donatello, the final resting place of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. And of course these don t include the most famous Florentine burials in the churches of Santa Croce and San Lorenzo. As the first city cemetery, Trespiano was created in 1784 as a result of a new law prohibiting the burial of anyone inside the city walls it was deemed too unhealthy. But according to one source, only the poor received burial in Trespiano, while the wealthy continued to use the old cemeteries. Trespiano eventually became the city s primary burial ground, and remains so to the present day. (It is an enormous cemetery and, although lacking the monumental flair of Porte Sante, it does have a large burial ground for the Garibaldini as well as a huge Potter s field and a large military section.) In 1854 the cemetery of Porte Sante was created on the grounds adjacent to the Basilica of San Miniato and quickly became the burial location for the wealthy and well-known Florentines with monuments that reflect both. Hours for Porte Sante and Trespiano as well as the other cemeteries operated by the Municipality of Florence are: 8 am to 5 pm Oct. 1 March 31 8 am to 6 pm April 1 Sept am to 1 pm Sundays & holidays e INTERNATIONAL STUDIO HAIR AND MAKE UP via Porta Rossa 82r FLORENCE o o o2 escape from mediocrity

20 20 Travel & LEISURE Life in Italy The Mediterranean Diet and the Italian Paradox By Victoria Miachika The number one killer of Italians is heart disease. Also on the increase is the disturbing prevalence of eating disorders and obesity in children and young adults. These sad facts were recently shared at a conference on the Mediterranean Diet: Fact or Fiction, held in Florence at the New York University La Pietra campus. Hosted in conjunction with the James Beard Foundation, the conference brought together a diverse group of primarily Italian health and food professionals who addressed a small North American audience of nutritionists and food industry professionals about the startling impact of globalization on what once was touted as an ideal lifestyle diet. Interest in the diets of the Mediterranean populations (the olive growing areas of Europe) derives from their evident health benefits. The original premise of a beneficial diet was first highlighted by the 1940s nutritional study funded by the Rockefeller Foundation on the island of Crete. The study was mandated to examine and identify the post-war nutritional needs of Europe s underdeveloped areas. The extensive and well-run study revealed a population, though poor, in relatively good health. In fact, these peasants had little to no history of heart disease or other health ailments. Their diet consisted primarily of carbohydrates, beans, seasonal vegetables, fresh fruit, extensive use of olive oil and a glass of red wine at every meal - a diet the researchers found to be nutritionally balanced. In the late 1950s, similar dietary findings were further underlined by the respected American scholar Dr Ancel Keys. While vacationing in southern Italy, Keys recognized the health benefits of a diet consisting of frugal meals based on cereals, vegetables and olive oil with small amounts of fish and animal protein. Other modern investigators have continued to explore the merits of a Mediterranean diet, resulting in a prototype of dietary patterns that not only promote good health but are also exceptionally palatable. Media and diet gurus were quick to flaunt the banner of this marketable diet. Specific tenets of the diet or its contextual factors were never seriously addressed, resulting in a myriad of misinformation and fadlike approaches to a quick fix health diet versus a traditional life style culture. To date there remains confusion around an identifiable Mediterranean diet supported by valid, quantifiable research. The purpose of the conference was not to address these disconnects, but instead to explore the impact worldwide trends of dietary uniformity have had on dietary traditions. What roles have government, politics, food industry, economics and media had on the evolving Italian diet as it relates to the Mediterranean Diet? Globally speaking, Italy has a recognizable and marketable brand diet consisting of spaghetti, olive oil, wine and pizza. For many, this is a regrettable icon not truthfully representing the varied and rich cuisine integral to the history and culture of Italy s diverse regions. The extensive and often misconstrued promotion surrounding the Mediterranean Diet has contributed to this narrow view and has even disturbed long histories of local traditional diets. Today Italian cultural perspectives are similar to American ones because fitness, leanness, dieting and control of body shape and weight are the norm. The successful marketing strategies of the high carbohydrate Mediterranean diet have been incorporated into local cuisines under an unfortunate misconception: eat anything as long as you also eat bread, spaghetti, lots of olive oil, and a glass of red wine. Lifestyle changes and the economics of mass production are also factors changing diets across the world, and Italy is no exception. Italian youth are eating differently than their parents choosing more occidental diets alongside fast food approaches to traditional favorites. Organizations such as Slow Food are a reaction to the growing fastfood mentality permeating a country where food was integral to lifestyle and not considered solely necessity. Diet is not what you eat but how and when you eat, bringing to the forefront issues of culture and identity in approaches to food production, ingestion and taste. The marketing of La Dolce Vita has had enormous impact on the production and ability to maintain quality and nutritional benefits of a Mediterranean based diet. However, as one presenter remarked, in contrast to the French Paradox, which examined how the indulgent French diet could produce favorable health outcomes, the studies of the Mediterranean diet has had the reverse effect in Italy. A diet marketed as both healthful and beneficial has negatively impacted the eating patterns of Italians this, she exclaimed sadly, is the Italian Paradox. PAPIER ARTI e MESTIERI Paper Shop Photo Albums Journals Diaries Playing Cards Invitations Business Cards Menus Letterheads Recipes Artistic Calendars