Spring 2014 web

SPRING 2014

The American International Club of Rome www.aicrome.org [email protected] Tel. 06-45447625 Fax 06-97254122

AICR NEWS

contents

3 Editor’s Letter

4 Upcoming Events

5 Club News

6 New Members

7 Poem: The River of My Life

9 Heath: What are you hungry for? Book review

11 Recipe from the Chopra Center Kitchen

12 Member Profile: Giorgio Cazzaniga

16 Delizie Gastronomiche: book review

18 Proust Questionnaire: Rosalba Flaviano

20 Short List: What’s hot now!

22 Discounts

23 AICR Business Members

Board of Directors 2013/2014

Honorary President

John R. PhillipsU.S. Ambassador to Italy and to the

Republic of San Marino

Honorary Vice President

David J. LaneAmbassador of the United States to the

UN Agencies in Rome

officers

President: Debra BiaginiVice President: Franco Spicciariello

Treasurer: Carol MarkinoSecretary: Kathy Araco

Board MeMBers

Alexia Maria di FabioL. Chris CurryLoretta Dusini

Marco ElserScotti Rhodes

Martha Scherr

aicr LegaL adVisor

Argia Bignami

aicr news editor

Kathy Araco

aicr news Production

Alessandro Carafa Jacobini

cLuB Manager and coMMunications

Nina Farrell

All articles are based on the information obtained at the time of their writing. Please contact us if you would like to add anything from your experience with AICR.

editor’s letter

Spring in Rome is a wonderful time of the year to take a leisurely stroll in centro and wander in a park. Sit on a bench and just relax feeling the warm rays of the sun on your skin, while the mild breeze plays with your hair. Admire nature all around you, the beautiful multi-color flowers in bloom and let their sweet scent inebriate your senses. Doesn’t it feel great to be alive? When you have a healthy body, it’s easy to feel good. So now is the

perfect time to get back in shape, if you’re not. Dr. Deepak Chopra’s latest book: What are you hungry for?, which I reviewed, will help us shake off those extra pounds – once and for all – and teach us the importance of conscious eating. Eating healthy is the first step towards perfect health for all ages, so let’s not forget about the kids…Canadian journalist Jeannie Marshall sure didn’t, and thanks to Danielle Devine, who wrote a wonderful book review of her latest book The Lost Art of Feeding Kids, neither will you.How do artistic talents and legal knowledge merge? Beautifully, if you’re Giorgio Cazzaniga: learn all about him in the brilliant Member’s Profile written by our very own Treasurer, Carol Markino. Be sure to read our Proust to get to know Rosalba Flaviano better and take her up on her advice to travel – if the world is our “university”, you’ll surely come back enriched by the experience. Special thanks to Noemi Lusi for sharing her favorite poem with us. Lastly, check out my What’s Hot Now List. I’m sure you’ll love it! (Want to contribute? Contact me.)

Kathy Araco AICR News Editor

upcoming events

AICR Guided Tour of the Secret Gardens of Villa BorgheseFriday, May 16th5 euro per member. Reservations required, payment at door.Currently open to members only; if space is available, we will open it up for guests of members at 10 euro per guest.

AICR - TEAM USA Komen Race for the CureSaturday, May 18th, 10 am.13 euro, must register through the Komen website.

AICR Elections Night Cocktail at the Roma Polo ClubThursday, May 22rd 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Open to Members only. Free entry, cash bar, reservations required.

AICR Annual Meeting of the MembersThursday, June 5th, 6 p.m. meeting, follow by cocktail in the gardenHosted by The American University of Rome.

AICR Cocktail and Dinner at the Golf Club AcquasantaThursday, June 19th, 7 p.m. 45 euro members; 50 euro guests of members. Advance payment required by June 12th.

USA vs GERMANY World Cup Soccer MatchThursday, June 26th, 6 p.m. Further details coming soon.

AICR American Independence Day CelebrationSaturday, July 5thSave the date. More information forthcoming.

22may

19june

5july

16may

18may

The American International Club of Rome4

5june

26june

AICR news - Spring 2014 5

club news

AICR Dues & Reduced RateDues solicitation for the 2014/2015 AICR Club Year will begin in May 2014. The dues rate for returning members is 70euro; retirees is 60euro; students and second family mem-bers 40euro. Membership dues for those new members with application will be 80euro. Those members paying the student and retiree rate will not be listed in the Business Cat-egory Section in the AICR Directory. Dues can be paid by Paypal, by wire transfer, at the AICR office and at our upcoming events and Happy Hours.

AICR Membership Renewal IncentiveBring your friends to join AICR and save on your own membership. Those who bring in a new American member get 50% off your current membership rate. If you bring in a new Gold, Platinum or Diamond Business member, your membership is FREE for one year!If you have already paid your 2014/2015 dues, AICR will put it towards the following year’s membership. The new member must state your name and/or be presented by you when joining to be eligible for the discount.

AICR Elections Members will have a chance to review and vote for the candidates for the 2014/2015 Board of Directors during the month of May. We hope you can make it to our Elections Night Event to meet the candidates and vote in person, but if you are unable to attend, you can send in your ballot to the office by email, fax, hand deliver or by standard post. The official ballot will be emailed to all members during the month of May and mailed to those few without email. Elections Night is scheduled for May 22nd at 6:30 p.m. at the Roma Polo Club.

AICR Business Memberships AICR provides valuable exposure to Rome’s international, English-speaking business pro-fessionals and expats. With a reach of over a thousand of Rome’s socially active, multi-lin-gual and culturally aware professionals, AICR offers one-stop shopping for your market-ing needs. Contact our office for further information on our programs for the 2014/2015 year.

AICR Community ServicesA huge thank you our Association Kim Easter Party Coordinator, Claudia Zerbe who put together a wonderful Easter Party for the ill children at Casa di Kim. Thank you to our members and their family and friends who volunteered as well.

AICR Wine TastingA huge thank you also goes to our Danielle DeVine who organized a complementary wine tasting event for our members at the Il Centro Servizi per i Prodotti Tipici e Tradizionali. It was a fun and informative evening for those who were able to attend. Wines and food pairings were delicious, and everyone was thrilled to learn about the center.

club news

AICR LineAICR Line is a new email list for members to share information, post ideas, have direct contact with membership and stay connected with fellow members. We are still in the trial phase with the Line, and once that is completed, the Board of Directors will provide members with official guidelines on how best to use the Line. In the meantime, here is some further info: • Our address is [email protected]• One email address per member is included, as provided by the member him/herself. • Posting advertisements is reserved for AICR Business members. • Messages must be posted in English, the official language of the Club• The message size limits and the possibility to send attachments will be determined shortly. • When responding to postings, respond only to sender• At this time, the Board has requested members to refrain from posting friend’s announcements, such as “a friend is selling a villa” etc.

aicr new members

Please join us in welcoming the following new members:

Cesare Amatulli Marketing Professor LUISS University (Rome) / Visiting Researcher at Ross School of Business (University of Michigan)

Stanley Kao AmbassadorTaipei Representative

Ellen Loyd de BenedittisProperty InspectorSawday’s

Claudia Riviezzo Tour Guide Teacher

Giulia SilvestriMD

Sherry SungTaipei Representative

Third Party Advertisers - Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of LiabilitiesThe American International Club of Rome (“AICR”) is not responsible for examining or evaluating the offer-ings of any businesses or individuals who place advertisements or articles in the AICR newsletter, maga-zines or website. We have no control over and do not endorse any services or products nor guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of items advertised, nor the truth or accuracy of content or listings provided by such third party advertisers. AICR is not and will not be a party to, or responsible for, any transaction concerning products and services advertised. Any agreement entered into shall be between you and the third party advertiser providing the goods and/or services only. In no event shall AICR be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortuous action, arising out of or in connection with any agreement you may enter into with a third party advertiser. If you decide to purchase or use the products and/or services of third party advertisers, you do so entirely at your own risk.

poem

The River of My Lifeby Noemi Lusi

I’m taking a pause from my solitudeand starting all over again.

Remember I shallof the old times that wereand trusting will be out of sight.

Nothing will bothermy deeds and my thoughts,nor will my actionsbe friendly to thosewho want my attentionnot ready to give outtheir soul and their feelings,being jealous and mean.

Time will pass by.The river of my life will keep flowing onand gently existenceshall float beyond barriers,set out by men,as free as the breeze.

And standing with pride in my solitudeI’ll taste as a privilege, divine, the strength of a dignified mind.


health

Deepak Chopra latest book reviewby Kathy Araco

With Summer just around the corner, what better time than now to get in shape and take better care of our body? Need extra motivation? The yearly prova costume is just a couple of months away, so why not start today. Everyone’s desire is to have a healthy, tone and vital body full of energy. However getting there is not always easy. So, if you’ve tried many diets without satisfying long-term results, before giving up, why not attempt an-other approach? The Deepak solution. Deepak Chopra, M.D. who started his medi-cal training as endocrinologist, is the author of more than fifty books translated into over thirty-five languages, including numerous New York Time bestsellers. By combining the latest scientific research, his Western medical background, with his East-ern knowledge of Ayurveda and other prac-tices, in his latest book, What are you hungry for? The Solution to Permanent Weight Loss, Well-Being and Lightness of the Soul, he for-mulates a new radical approach to weight loss by searching for the deeper meaning be-hind overeating and being overweight. The author examines the strong connection between food and happiness. Eating normal-ly feels good; however when this connection becomes unhealthy and transforms into over-eating, you may fell good at first, but in the long run, it leads to bad results. This is what makes overeating such a peculiar and unique problem. Giving into cravings, on the other hand, doesn’t feel good at all (due to guilt and remorse) and nor does being addicted to food (which brings suffering, declining health and total lack of self-esteem). By looking at the author’s sliding scale below, you may re-alize where you stand at the moment: Normal eating ----> Overeating ----> Cravings ----> Food AddictionIncluded in this book is much contemporary research on biochemical as well as psycho-

logical factors in-volved in the many levels of “nourish-ment”. Based on the knowledge that hun-ger is one of the most powerful chemical messages sent by the body to the brain, the author asserts that from a physiologi-cal point of view, the body shouldn’t feel hungry right after a meal or an afternoon snack. So if it does, it means that the experience of hunger can exist even when the need for food doesn’t. Thus, Dr. Deepak Chopra insists it’s this experience of hunger that you need to change, because when the mind is satisfied, the body quits craving too much food. Therefore the mind becomes the key to losing weight.If we are not hungry for food when we over-eat or give into cravings, then the author asks: “What are you hungry for?” – which is the principle question the book focuses on. His answer is that it’s often because we are hun-gry for something completely different, such as love, self-esteem, security, success, appre-ciation, etc. This is why in his opinion diets rarely work on a long-term basis, since diet-ing is based on self-denial and doing without, forcing you to struggling against your hunger and fight for self-control. Dieting deprives the body, instead of fulfilling it. In fact, when the body’s hunger signals are brought into bal-ance, your impulse to eat will become your ally and your body will take care of you in-stead of fighting back.But “How do we know when we are overeat-ing to substitute something that is missing in our lives?” Dr. Deepak Chopra replies “for example, insecurity can be dulled by eating too much, for it brings a feeling of temporary calmness; if you don’t feel nurtured, there is a tendency to over stimulate your taste buds with sugar, salt and fat; when someone

health


doesn’t feel loved or appreciated, they can turn to eating as a way of giving themselves some love; and when life lacks of meaning, overeating becomes a way of filling momen-tarily the emptiness inside.”

This is the reason behind the mind-body-spirit approach proposed by Dr. Deepak Chopra and why he is sure it will work for you. He states that, when normal eating starts to slide into overeating, it’s an indication of lack of fulfillment, so you start overeating to make up for this lack – even though it’s something that food alone can’t fill. He says, “It sounds like a paradox, but to lose weight, you need to fill yourself up. If you fill yourself up with other kinds of satisfaction, food will no longer be a problem”. Therefore he urges each person to nourish their body with healthy food; their heart with joy, compassion, love; their mind with knowledge and their spirit with equanim-ity and self-awareness.The book then investigates all of the aspects of consciousness and living which can have effects on the quality of life and ultimately on one’s happiness and balance. Applying con-scious eating means to notice and feel your hunger, eat only when you “really” feel hun-gry and opt for foods that nourish your body. A whole chapter is dedicated to “what should I eat”, in which the author relates recent re-search, talks about nutrition science and gives insights for having a healthy body, like choosing organic produce vs non-organic

products & GMO’s; picking foods containing high levels of phyto-nutrients, the benefits of using alkaline herbs and spices, along with a few Ayurvedic remedies as well.The last section of the book has many deli-cious, colorful and healthy recipes for purity, energy and balance taken directly from the Chopra Center Kitchen to aid you in your food preparation. From starters, like the scrumptious Garden Spring Rolls, to sauces and dips (Sprouted Chickpea Hummus); to main course dishes like the Ratatouille Stew and Spinach & Lentil Soup and even exotic recipes like Allo Gobi, a spicy Indian tradi-tional dish, and Pad Thai. Not to mention des-erts! For those of you who have a sweet tooth like me, he reveals the Unbelievable Choco-late Cake & Chocolate Icing Recipe. Among the beverages are Sweet Lassi, traditionally served at the end of the meal to aid digestion, and the Morning Bliss Shake.Make no mistake however, as we have seen thus far, this is not merely a food-diet book. It truly draws upon mainstream and holistic medicine. Dr. Deepak Chopra reviews emo-tional well-being and self-regulation, while presenting specific techniques and guidelines for acquiring self-awareness, mindfulness, balance, energy to nourish a healthier, toxic-free body and lead a more satisfying and happier life by establishing the emotional-psychological freedom he calls “lightness of soul”.In conclusion, the author’s solution is simple but profound: losing weight must be satisfy-ing. Stop obsessing about your body and dwelling in disappointment and frustration. He affirms “Life is about fulfillment. Once that begins to happen, you will stop eating for the wrong reasons. […] If your life isn’t ful-filled, your stomach can never supply what’s missing.” Eating to numb what you are really hungry for, will not be an option anymore. The practical advice, tools and solutions presented in this book, along with the mind-body-spirit approach, might help you shake off your extra pounds once and for all.

Recipe from the Chopra Center Kitchen

Morning Bliss Shake (Serves 1)

5 whole almonds, skin on, soaked overnight in 125 ml (4 fl oz) water2 teaspoons organic raw honey or maple syrup30 g (1 oz) soy protein powder, plain vanillapinch of ground cinnamon 250 ml (8 fl oz) vanilla soymilk 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon aloe vera juiceDrain the almonds and discard the water. Place almonds in a blender, add the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Take as a morning protein supplement and digestive aid.

Reprinted from the book What Are You Hungry For? The Chopra Solution to Permanent Weight Loss, Well-Being, and Lightness of Soul by Deepak Chopra. Copyright 2013 by Deepak Chopra. Published by Harmony Books (a Penguin Random House Company).

Beverage


member profile

Member Profile: Giorgio Cazzanigaby Carol Markino

When I phoned Giorgio Cazzaniga about writing an article for AICR News, he was very willing, engaging, and accommodat-ing. I found he was the same in person, when a smiling, amiable Giorgio was waiting outside the Cazzaniga Jewellery premises in Passeggiata di Ripetta to greet me as I arrived. When we entered the lush Atelier, I couldn’t help but note the rich so-phisticated decor of the stately rooms, which had a very appealing old world essence.

The two hours we spent talking felt like two minutes. He patiently explained his work to me, giving easy to understand examples and analogies and, while he scribbled de-signs on a piece of paper to help me com-prehend, I thought that he must have been a teacher in a former life.

In the AICR directory, Giorgio is listed as a lawyer and jewellery designer. I was curi-ous how these two combined. He trained and worked as a criminal lawyer in Rome for a period of time before moving to the UK. In London he worked at the famous American jewellery company, Tiffany’s. He decided to return to Rome, his home-town, and become the third generation to enter his own family’s jewellery business, Cazzaniga.

Since the late 90’s, he has been doing a bit of everything both on the artistic side and the commercial side of the family en-terprise and does not miss his work as a lawyer. He stated that each one of us is many different people and likes many dif-

ferent things in life. In his case, he needs a certain idea of beauty in his life. His idea of beauty is a mix of things and ideas. Something nice should start from an idea or thought. He defines beauty as fresh, broad, colorful, friendly, intelligent, ex-traordinary and curious. It likes to partici-pate and encourages others to do so as well. Giorgio’s job is extremely hands on. He designs unique pieces and then sees them through step by step to their ultimate cre-ation. He deals with a variety of master craftsmen along the way, each working on a very specific part of the designed piece and each in various cities. He entertains relationships with customers from all over the world and travels to exotic places not only to meet clients but also to buy stones. For a quarter of a century, Japan has been their main market which means many trips there. In fact, his father was on a business trip there on the day we spoke.

member profile

In the future, however, he feels that Italy will return to the grand place of dominance which it once held since more and more young talented Italians, especially Romans, are attracted to artisanal work. He noted that there is an increased appreciation for craftsmanship and less focus on the once coveted bank job. In general, he feels his country is on the right path. He predicts that in the near fu-ture things will improve and there will be fewer things that citizens dislike about their country. He identified the standards of qual-ity of service and hospitality as one area which will see improvement. He added that there will also be a more proportional and reasonable level regarding prices. Hous-ing prices, for example, will be corrected and there will be a true quality price ratio.

We watched an entertaining animated short video which chronicled the history of Cazzaniga Jewellery. This video, which was Giorgio’s idea and produced by Valerio Ducros, opens with a shot of Villa Abamelek. This is where Giorgio’s grand-father and namesake, Angelo Giorgio, grew up. No, there isn’t any Russian blood in the Cazzaniga family but there is a big Russian influence in the jewellery designs. Angelo Giorgio managed to combine Byz-antine and Roman Baroque elements to dis-play a uniqueness in his creations. This uniqueness captured the attention of both the fashion and art worlds.Numerous famous clients, including Grace Kelly and H.R.H. Princess Margaret, have purchased Cazzaniga creations.

3Expatriate American Tax

www.ExpatriateAmericanTax.com | [email protected] Leonina 41, Roma 00186 | US Tel. +1 212-777-0807 | US Fax +1 212-242-2820

member profile


Years later, Giorgio’s father, Paolo, was selected as the sole jeweller to display his own works in an exhibit entitled “Memory of Italy” at the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg.

As a youngster back in the 70s, Giorgio spent a lot of time in his grandfather’s workshop. In those days, all the craftsmen were working together under one roof. Thus, Giorgio found it natural and easy to acquire the proper skills to design his own creations. He has designed an entire new line called ‘semi colon’. His line represents that particular moment in conversation (and even in life) in which you are about to express a concept, but you can’t find the right words. The moment in which you stop is considered poetry. It’s magical. The romantic in him likened it to those brief sec-onds right before kissing a woman.

He gets inspiration for his creations from everything and from everywhere. For him, it all starts with an idea. He likes ideas and

then makes them come true. He defines an idea as an extreme synthesis of a concep-tion. He further stated that when there is a lack of ideas, details will never be enough. He is the curious type and wants to know more and more. He does not use the words boring and uninteresting. As long as he is learning and engaging, everything can be interesting. He believes the person who ut-ters those adjectives when speaking of oth-ers is, in fact, the boring one. When he is away from Rome he does not feel nostal-gic. Instead, he absorbs and learns all he can and brings it back to his work and to his hometown.

When speaking of his hometown, he loves the beauty and the international flare of the Eternal City. Generally speaking, the foreigners who live here and create this cosmopolitan aspect are cultured and so-phisticated and are able to appreciate the beauty and history of Rome.

This ingenious man has even managed to patent a ring he created which is known as Anello Castello. He used an architectural approach called ‘restauro critico’ to realize his creation. This is quite a feat considering how common a ring is and how unusual it would be to create something novel about it. It would be like getting a patent on a pen, another very common object. Giorgio is also a diamond expert and graduated from the prominent Gemological Institute of America.

About a year ago, Giorgio found out about AICR through member, Martha Sgherza, and decided to apply for membership. Thanks to Martha and welcome to Giorgio!

Anello Castello exclusive Cazzaniga creation

book review

Jeannie Marshall book reviewby Danielle DeVine

Canadian journalist Jeannie Marshall’s new book The Lost Art of Feeding Kids: What Italy Taught Me about Why Children Need Real Food is similar to what the au-thor describes as an ideal meal: it features a broad range of tastes and is satisfying and well rounded from a scientific point of view. Balancing colorful anecdotes with investigative journalism and impeccable research, Marshall interweaves her inter-esting personal experiences with facts, case studies and interviews that bolster her main premise that an alarm bell needs to be sounded or even Italy, a gastronomic paradise and long time role model for healthy cuisine, is in danger of succumb-ing to world wide “industrial” food trends.

The book opens with tales that any expatri-ate will relate to: the seduction of many a tourist via the culinary charms of Italy as experienced in any given local trat-toria. Marshall writes poetically and lyri-cally about the pleasures of eating in Il Bel Paese, and her descriptions will leave readers hungry, without ever crossing the line into food porn. She also examines how the Italian food traditions begin in utero, contrasting her own experiences as a North American mother with the Italian mothers she met after giving birth to her son Nico in Rome.

While Marshall lauds the myriad benefits and sensual delights of the Italian diet, and demonstrates the superior experience of children eating at Italian state nursery and elementary schools versus the average North American child, she also warns that

Italy, with one in three children now overweight and obese, is now at risk of following in the path of the United States, which has the highest rate of obesity among the 33 OECD countries. Just why this is hap-pening is explained in numerous chapters, covering everything from the bombard-ment of multinational advertising aimed at children to amusement parks outside of Rome in which no food other than indus-trial hot dogs, ice cream (not gelato) and other unhealthy fare is even available for purchase. Waiters at local pizzeria offer her small child a Coca cola with his din-ner instead of water, and the only birthday parties her son attends that offer nutritious food to the children, are those of con-cerned expatriate parents.

The author also ventures far beyond the confines of Italy and Europe to cite vari-ous heartbreaking examples of indigenous cultures and local cooking traditions whose peoples became unhealthy when Western dietary practices were introduced. More-over, she explodes the fallacies of the so-scientific approach to nutrition in various episodes in which the proffered vitamin or a pill given to the people of these cultures did not solve their nutritional deficiencies, whereas reintroducing local produce and cooking traditions did.


Impassioned without being strident, and clear sighted without being pessimistic, The Lost Art of Feeding Kids offers numer-ous case studies and presents a series of troubling trends and statistics, but doesn’t lapse into depressing hand-wringing. Many examples of programs designed to successfully counteract the disturbing cur-rents of food culture today are presented, from Brazil’s highly successful Zero Hun-ger campaign which has ensured 24 mil-lion people access to food who did not have it before, to the growth of farmers’ markets, to a vocational school in Canada that grows and sells its own produce, to visionaries such as Alice Waters and the Slow Food movement. Lest anyone accuse her of not presenting opposing viewpoints, at one point Marshall even travels to

PepsiCo’s headquarters in Purchase, New York to interview the most unlikely director of PepsiCo’s global health policy: Derek Yach, former Influential World Health Or-ganization crusader against obesity and tobacco, to hear his ideas for how indus-try could make changes to help mitigate the growing obesity epidemic.

In a world where 42 million children un-der age five are overweight or obese at the same time that one billion people are chronically hungry and another one billion are malnourished, the Lost Art of Feeding Kids is a must read, not just for parents everywhere, but for everyone who appre-ciates the glories of good food, and the gastronomic treasures beloved by all those who love Italy.

book review


proust questionnaire

What is your idea of perfect happiness? For me it’s the small things in life that count and that make me happy. I agree with the writer Ennio Flaiano, who said: “Happiness is wanting what you have”.

What is your greatest fear? To find myself in a situation which would require me to sacrifice my values.

Which living person do you most admire? Pope Francis, for his pure simplicity. He always has a loving word for every-one and he accepts the world how it is.

Who are your favorite writers? The Italian writer Margaret Mazzantini. I like how she explores the world of feel-ings and human nature.

Which talent would you most like to have? To be a creative writer myself.

What is your most treasured possession? All my books and music cds.

Rosalba Flaviano lives in Rome where she was born. She enjoys working at the Italian Supreme Court, and in her spare time, she likes to cultivate her hob-bies therefore her days are pretty full. Currently she is taking tap dancing lessons and learning about the history of cinema.

AICR Proust Questionnaire with Rosalba Flaviano

proust questionnaire

When and where were you happiest? It’s hard to pick just one. There have been countless moments in which I was happy, like during my childhood, when I graduated, the day I started working…. and so many more.

What is your most marked characteristic? Curiosity and my thirst for knowledge.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Having travelled the world, studied many languages and dif-ferent cultures. For me travelling can be considered as “the university of life”, for it teaches you so much on all levels and it enriches your life experience. Everybody should do it!

Who is your favorite hero of fiction? I’m fascinated by the character of the American Indian Prin-cess Pocahontas, who truly existed. Her deep love of nature and bravery is what I relate to best. She relied mainly on her feelings, and regarding love, she was quite a progressive thinker for her time, giving her love to a man from another race and culture without prejudice.


short list

Short List - What’s hot now!by Kathy Araco

Movie: X-Men: Days of Future Past. In times of cri-sis, more than ever, there seems to be a strong need for heroes – even fictional ones – to look up to. After Robocop, Captain America and Spider-Man 2, up-coming very soon is X-Men: Days of Future Past. Hol-lywood’s latest hot superhero film sequel – number six in the successful X-Men series – which many fans have been waiting for. Ever since the year 2000, when the first movie came out, the series has earned over $2 billion worldwide, making it the 15th highest-grossing film franchise ever. Will this sequel be successful as well? You decide…however according to the fans, it surely will be.

Album: Ghost Stories. Sixth studio album for Coldplay, one of the most famous and loved English bands, that have been around since the end of the ‘90s. Although their album will officially be out by mid-May, the band has already released some great tracks like Midnight, Magic, A Sky Full Of Stars and Oceans. whose lyrics clearly reveal the sadness and bro-ken heart of Chris Martin, the band’s frontman, for personal vicissitudes. In an interview, after the release of yet another track Always in My Head, he discloses that in the Intro, “my

daughter [Apple] is singing in there a little bit as well. That was just a sort of idea of togetherness through life’s challenges.” Hang in there Chris, we still love you!

Website: goop.com. This digital media and e-commerce com-pany was created by Gwyneth Paltrow with the intention of sharing the best of lifestyle to help readers save time and sim-plify their lives. Since its founding, it has become an eminent lifestyle publication, so you might what to check it out. The editorial journal is divided into five categories: Make, Go, Get, Do, Be & See. (For example, in the Do section, don’t miss spring cleaning and wardrobe organization tips.) So whether you need a shopping assistant to steer you towards the best new fashion trends, information on various topics & matters, inspiration for carrying out your own creative projects, travel tips, health advice or just a good recipe, here you have it, your trusted friend on the website, dedicated to informing and positively in-spiring its audience.


short list

DVD: The Great Flood. Definitely worth seeing, if you still haven’t, is Bill Morrison’s latest documentary film of one of America’s most devastating floods which occurred in the spring of 1927, when the Mississippi River broke out of its banks in 145 places and inundated 27,000 square miles to a depth of up to 30 feet. The consequences of this calamity are shown through original white & black footage, which is highlighted by the beautiful compelling music in the background, composed and performed by guitarist Bill Frisell. Since the text is minimal and there is no spoken dialog, the soundtrack’s solemn impact on the viewer is strong and very evocative. According to New York Times’ journalist, Neil Gen-zlinger, the film is visual poetry.

Book: The Turning Point; Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes. In his latest book, best-selling author Gregg Braden merges his expertise in leading-edge science with present-day realities to answer some of the most compelling ques-tions we’d all like to know: What’s causing the extremes in our world? What do the global trends mean in our personal lives? How do we make every-day life better for us and our families? Through well documented research, case studies and personal experience, the author offers a powerful synthesis of easy-to-understand science and real-world circumstances. Along which, he also reveals the keys to thrive in the midst of transformation and the strategies to get there, that will empower us in choices that lead to thriving lives in a new, trans-formed and sustainable world. Mr. Braden states “Nature gives us the turning points to shift life’s extremes of struggle into life-affirming choices of resilience.” So I guess, it’s up to us. Now the real question is…will we embrace them or not?

Classics: Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus (1818). Considered to be somewhere in between Gothic and Science Fic-tion, this is the first and most famous novel written by the young Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley almost 195 years ago, whose inspi-ration was a nightmare about a scientist who galvanized life from parts of dead bodies. On awakening she thought that what had scared her, would most certainly scare others and that’s how the myth began. Strangely enough, the monster that the world calls Frankenstein, in the original novel doesn’t even have a name of it’s own, other than the epithets fiend, devil, etc. Victor Frankenstein

is the scientist, who represents “the modern Prometheus”, a reference to the Titan of Greek mythology who was first instructed by Zeus to create mankind. The main theme of the book revolves around the concept that man, by manipulating his power through science, perverts his own destiny. Compared to its subsequent reinterpretations, you’ll find the novel is more interesting, complex and profound. The Observer actually ranks it number eight on their top 100 best novels chart.


aicr silver business members & discounts

Ciao Italia, Italian language and cultural center. Intensive/Non intensive courses. Day/Evening – Small groups CILS/CELI exam preparation. Courses at home/office. From Sept 16th, Extensive course (E2): Monday-Wednesday 6:30 p.m. – 8:20 p.m.150 euro per month + registration fee Tel. 064814084 Via Delle Frasche 5, (Via Nazionale) Metro B-Stop Cavour www.ciao-italia.it [email protected]

Order personalized floral designs by DebraFlower for that special touch and have them delivered free (Rome and within 5 km. outside Raccordo). Weddings! Events! Parties! [email protected], www.debraflower.com, www.debraflower.blogspot.com, www.debraflowerit.blogspot.com

10% Discount off Intensive Italian Courses (60 hours) Koiné - Italian Language Centre. Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, 48. [email protected], www.koinecentre.com

Catering services: International cuisine – Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Moroc-can, Middle Eastern, Mexican and European... Cooking classes for adults and children. Food tours. Contact Francesa Flore of La Luna nel Piatto Tel. 339 6230393 [email protected], www.lalunanelpiatto.com

C.R.E.T.A. rome: Ceramics, Residencies, Exhibitions, Teaching & the Arts: 10% discount on ceramic courses for children. 10% discount on creative, relaxed ceramic courses for adults.www.cretarome.com; www.cretarome.blogspot.it; via dei Delfini 17Tel. 347 8024581

Discounts and listings from our Silver Business Members. Take advantage of important discounts at many local businesses,

thanks to your AICR Membership.

aicr business membersAICR thanks our Business Members who provide benefits for

AICR members and support the Club.

Avis Autonoleggio - Rent a CarItalian Headquarters: Viale Carmelo Bene 70, 00139 [email protected] Reservations: www.avisautonoleggio.it/aicromeCall Center: 199 100 133 (Outside Italy + 39 06 45 21 08 391)Quote Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number W465200

Rome International SchoolTel. 06 84482650/1www.romeinternationalschool.itoffice@romeinternationalschool.itfacebook.com/romeinternationalschool

St. John’s UniversityVia Marcantonio Colonna, 21A Rome Italy 00192Tel. 06-393842 or Toll Free Number in Italy: 800 971736Fax: +39 06 39384200 US Tel: +1 (212) 815-9216 Ext. [email protected] www.stjohns.edu/rome

DIAMOND

Platinum

Bellezza TotaleTel. 06 6830 7238Via della Vite 21/B - 00187 [email protected]/bellezzatotale

Marymount International SchoolTel. 06 36 29 101 Fax: 06 36 30 1738Via di Villa Lauchli 180 - 00191 [email protected] www.marymountrome.org

Gold

Expatriate American Taxhttp://[email protected] Tel +1 212-777-0807 Italy: 347-328-4339US Fax +1 212-242-2820Via Leonina, 83 - Roma, IT 00184

Koiné - Italian Language CentrePiazza San Giovanni in Laterano, 48 - 00184 RomaPhone (+39) 06.96038365www.koinecentre.comwww.facebook.com/KoineItalianLanguageCentre

NOI SalonRome: Piazza del Popolo 3 - Tel. +39 06 3600 6284 - [email protected]

Naples: Vicoletto Belledonne 9 - Tel. +39 081 405 457 - [email protected]://noisalon.com

AICR past events photos

Casa di Kim photos by Claudia ZerbeHappy Hour and Wine Tasting photos by Mara Gulizia Photographer - www.maragulizia.it

Spring 2014 web

Documents

Transcript of Spring 2014 web