The "Giro d'Italia" bike race is finishing in Milan, today (not much has been said about it...the media pay little attention to the bike races, unless one of the racers gets caught during a drug tests), and so the public transportation routes have been changed in some places.
ATM - our local public transportation company - is calling it "DomenicAspasso": http://www.atm-mi.it/it/AtmNews/AtmInforma/Pagine/DomenicAspasso2012.aspx (in Italian...sigh...nothing about it on the English version of the site).
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
June 10, six-legged running race sponsored by Advantix: pant through 5 km with man's best friend
Got a dog? Like to run? (you, not the dog, it probably does), then Sempione Park on the 10th of June is for you...More......
Starting at 11 A.M. in Sempione Park, you and your furry pal can register for the race. Events begin at 2 P.M., the race itself at 4 P.M., prizes at 6 P.M., and, exhausted but happy, 'weeeee, weeeeee, weeeeee all the way home' by 6:30 P.M., in time to rest up for Monday's return to work.
The proceeds from this charity race will go to buy a 'water bike' for the Italian School for Rescue Dogs.
Want more info? Here it is (sigh, only in Italian): http://www.provincia.milano.it/diritti_animali/attivita/Appuntamenti/anno2012.html
Enjoy!
Starting at 11 A.M. in Sempione Park, you and your furry pal can register for the race. Events begin at 2 P.M., the race itself at 4 P.M., prizes at 6 P.M., and, exhausted but happy, 'weeeee, weeeeee, weeeeee all the way home' by 6:30 P.M., in time to rest up for Monday's return to work.
The proceeds from this charity race will go to buy a 'water bike' for the Italian School for Rescue Dogs.
Want more info? Here it is (sigh, only in Italian): http://www.provincia.milano.it/diritti_animali/attivita/Appuntamenti/anno2012.html
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
The Palio of Legnano: a historic and historical rievocation of a decisive medieval Lombard battle
You've heard, I'm sure, of the Palio of Siena, well there's one in Lombardy, too!
Celebrated in Legnano each year on the day of the battle, May 29, it commemorates the victory at that city on the 29th of May, 1176, of Lombard troops over the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick the Redbeard of the Hapsburg dynasty (a FASCINATING fellow). He thought he could push the Lombards around...ain't that just like an emperor for ya'?...More......
The palio, or commemorative horse race, was first celebrated in Milan in 1393, it seems, but the race as we know it today (significantly) began in 1932 (those are the years the Italians call "of the Consensus"...the years of fairly prevalent acceptance--sometimes wholehearted, sometimes out of necessity--of the iron fist of Mussolini in exchange for order and peace after decades of chaos, so evocations during that stretch of time often recalled years of Italian glory, frequently of the ancient Roman empire, but also of periods of local splendor).
Why "historic and historical"? Aaaaah, here's where one of my "soapboxes" comes in.
These two words often are confused, but--though they look alike--mean something quite different.
"Historic" describes something that IS old: "The mausoleum of the ancient Roman emperor Hadrian on the bank of the Tiber in Rome is a historic monument." (N.B., to head off criticism from U.K. English readers: in American-style punctuation, periods, commas and question and exclamation marks go INSIDE quotation marks; only colons and semi-colons go OUTSIDE...we now return you to your regular program.)
"Historical" describes something not necessarily old in and of itself (though the years pass for everything), but which commemorates and/or evokes something old: "Ivanhoe is a historical novel."
Interested in attending the palio?
The events in Legnano begin at 10:30 in front of the church S. Magno. A map of the city is available (in Italian) by clicking on "cartografia" more or less in the center of the city's home page: http://www.legnano.org/.
After that, just let yourself be carried along with the crowds to the other events.
Alas and alack, more and typical shortsightedness...I know, I know, we're in Italy, so people should learn to speak and read Italian, but if these Italians want to attract international tourists, they'd better wise up, and always have a complete copy of their website in English. Not the case, here, I'm afraid: Palio di Legnano, http://www.paliodilegnano.it/eventi.
Do I hear snickers in the background about the potentially folksy amateurish ignorant mixture of forms of historical costumes, arms, armor and whatnots from different periods, just to seem old and snare tourists? Think again. The website promises that all aspects have had to be approved by an official committee dedicated to scholarly rigor. That's called "Living History," and it's a great way to learn and have fun--bring the whole family!--at the same time.
Enjoy!
Celebrated in Legnano each year on the day of the battle, May 29, it commemorates the victory at that city on the 29th of May, 1176, of Lombard troops over the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick the Redbeard of the Hapsburg dynasty (a FASCINATING fellow). He thought he could push the Lombards around...ain't that just like an emperor for ya'?...More......
The palio, or commemorative horse race, was first celebrated in Milan in 1393, it seems, but the race as we know it today (significantly) began in 1932 (those are the years the Italians call "of the Consensus"...the years of fairly prevalent acceptance--sometimes wholehearted, sometimes out of necessity--of the iron fist of Mussolini in exchange for order and peace after decades of chaos, so evocations during that stretch of time often recalled years of Italian glory, frequently of the ancient Roman empire, but also of periods of local splendor).
Why "historic and historical"? Aaaaah, here's where one of my "soapboxes" comes in.
These two words often are confused, but--though they look alike--mean something quite different.
"Historic" describes something that IS old: "The mausoleum of the ancient Roman emperor Hadrian on the bank of the Tiber in Rome is a historic monument." (N.B., to head off criticism from U.K. English readers: in American-style punctuation, periods, commas and question and exclamation marks go INSIDE quotation marks; only colons and semi-colons go OUTSIDE...we now return you to your regular program.)
"Historical" describes something not necessarily old in and of itself (though the years pass for everything), but which commemorates and/or evokes something old: "Ivanhoe is a historical novel."
Interested in attending the palio?
The events in Legnano begin at 10:30 in front of the church S. Magno. A map of the city is available (in Italian) by clicking on "cartografia" more or less in the center of the city's home page: http://www.legnano.org/.
After that, just let yourself be carried along with the crowds to the other events.
Alas and alack, more and typical shortsightedness...I know, I know, we're in Italy, so people should learn to speak and read Italian, but if these Italians want to attract international tourists, they'd better wise up, and always have a complete copy of their website in English. Not the case, here, I'm afraid: Palio di Legnano, http://www.paliodilegnano.it/eventi.
Do I hear snickers in the background about the potentially folksy amateurish ignorant mixture of forms of historical costumes, arms, armor and whatnots from different periods, just to seem old and snare tourists? Think again. The website promises that all aspects have had to be approved by an official committee dedicated to scholarly rigor. That's called "Living History," and it's a great way to learn and have fun--bring the whole family!--at the same time.
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Dreading one of the worst times of the year? Yup, it's time to buy a new swimsuit!
This clever gym ad reminds us that its swimsuit buying time ("prova costume")...need I add "sigh?"....
Friday, May 11, 2012
Food Fan? Yet another -- overlapping -- big food event in Milan: Taste of Milano, May 17-20
Food events galore...Milan must be trying to get ready for the 2015 Expo, which will concentrate on food and energy resources. Here's another one: Taste of Milano...More...
Four days of food-packed fun at the Ippodromo (horse-racing stadium), and bring the kids! There'll be a safe kid-zone where you can drop them off while tasting food and wine in this third edition of the festival that also takes place in other lovely cities around the world. (How to get to the Ippodromo, and what other delights await you there? See my http://mymilanitaly.blogspot.it/2012/01/dont-look-gift-horse-in-mouth.html#0.)
If you want to look the food fest up, don't forget the "o" at the end of "Milano," otherwise, you'll end up with a completely different web site.
Hey, kudos! They have a version in English, where you can learn more: http://www.tasteofmilano.it/index.asp?lang=uk
Enjoy!
Four days of food-packed fun at the Ippodromo (horse-racing stadium), and bring the kids! There'll be a safe kid-zone where you can drop them off while tasting food and wine in this third edition of the festival that also takes place in other lovely cities around the world. (How to get to the Ippodromo, and what other delights await you there? See my http://mymilanitaly.blogspot.it/2012/01/dont-look-gift-horse-in-mouth.html#0.)
If you want to look the food fest up, don't forget the "o" at the end of "Milano," otherwise, you'll end up with a completely different web site.
Hey, kudos! They have a version in English, where you can learn more: http://www.tasteofmilano.it/index.asp?lang=uk
Enjoy!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Food fan? Milan Food Week May 19-27 is for you!
Do you devour food magazines?
Do you sip food web sites?
Then Milan Food Week is for you! Held throughout town from...More......
...the 19th of May (International Food Day) 'til the 27th of the same month, it will keep Milan cooking!
(Oh my god, will you stop with these food allusions, already?! ... Sorry, it was just too tasty to resist!)
When and where you ask?
Here's the official web site, and it looks pretty clear to navigate (for instance, the map with the sites appears on the home page), even if you don't speak Italian...how short-sighted of them not to have a mirror site in English. Sigh.
I know we're in Italy, and people coming here should make an effort to communicate in Italian. I agree 100%, but the web is international, and it would be nice to try to attract international visitors to the city, too.
This isn't rocket science, folks! Get with the program!
Enjoy!
Do you sip food web sites?
Then Milan Food Week is for you! Held throughout town from...More......
...the 19th of May (International Food Day) 'til the 27th of the same month, it will keep Milan cooking!
(Oh my god, will you stop with these food allusions, already?! ... Sorry, it was just too tasty to resist!)
When and where you ask?
Here's the official web site, and it looks pretty clear to navigate (for instance, the map with the sites appears on the home page), even if you don't speak Italian...how short-sighted of them not to have a mirror site in English. Sigh.
I know we're in Italy, and people coming here should make an effort to communicate in Italian. I agree 100%, but the web is international, and it would be nice to try to attract international visitors to the city, too.
This isn't rocket science, folks! Get with the program!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Walk of Life, Telethon marathon in Milan: May 6
Like to run in races? The Telethon marathon, "Walk of Life," lets you have fun AND contribute to their good cause (the latter sounds good to me, the former sounds nuts, but to each his own...)...More...
The "Walk of Life" marathon is throughout eight major Italian cities, but this 10 km race in Milan will take place on the 6th of May, starting at 10 A.M. at the Piazza del Cannone/Viale G. Gadio.
There is a modest sign-up fee. Inscription--you'll need a doctor's certificate, of course--can be done from the 5th to the 6th of May, or online...sigh...only in Italian: http://www.walkoflife.it/citta_milano.aspx
Have absolutely no intention of running? Donate anyway.
Just want to avoid those areas of town that will be blocked for the runners? See the website, there's a map.
Let's hope they have better luck with the weather than the last recent marathon!
Enjoy!
The "Walk of Life" marathon is throughout eight major Italian cities, but this 10 km race in Milan will take place on the 6th of May, starting at 10 A.M. at the Piazza del Cannone/Viale G. Gadio.
There is a modest sign-up fee. Inscription--you'll need a doctor's certificate, of course--can be done from the 5th to the 6th of May, or online...sigh...only in Italian: http://www.walkoflife.it/citta_milano.aspx
Have absolutely no intention of running? Donate anyway.
Just want to avoid those areas of town that will be blocked for the runners? See the website, there's a map.
Let's hope they have better luck with the weather than the last recent marathon!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Pope is coming to Milan during the 7th annual "Family" week (May 29-June 3)
The pope is coming to Milan, along with literally about a million people...yikes! Want the scoop, in case you want to attend, or to avoid those areas of town that will be absolutely swamped!?...More...
Here's the scoop!
Tuesday, May 29, morning: Fiera MilanoCity, the old convention center in town (on the "Amendola" stop of the red/#1 metro line, or the "Domodossola" stop of the blue line/"Passante"--there are lots of blue line trains available at various points throughout the city, check to make sure that you're on one that stops at "Domodossola," or you might end up in another town!), welcome and opening remarks; the Fiera web site is in English, yeah!: http://www.micmilano.it/DoveSiamo_en.html)
Wednesday, May 30: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:30 A.M. through the rest of the day, welcome and speeches in the morning, sessions in the afternoon; masses at unspecified (regular and/or special?!) times in parish churches; dinner with parish families followed by parish celebratory events
Thursday, May 31: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:30 A.M. through the rest of the day, welcome and speeches in the morning, afternoon sessions (at MilanoCity and throughout Lombardy) followed by dinner and celebrations at the event locations
Friday, June 1: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:00 A.M., speeches, then afternoon events throughout town followed by dinner with host families or at the various parishes. 8 P.M. concert at La Scala (only for the "delegations," sorry folks!), followed by 9:30 P.M. Adoration of the Eucharist at the Duomo and at various churches throughout town
Saturday, June 2: morning celebrations in parishes and with various groups (unspecified times and places); the afternoon is dedicated to reaching the venue where the pope will be, presumably the "Parco Nord" ("Park on the north of town"), Bresso airport, because that's where the "Feast of Testimonies" with the pope is to be.
YIKES! How to get there? I couldn't find the info on the "Family" web site, but I hunted around in Milan's public transportation web site (http://www.atm-mi.it) to give you a helping hand, so here it is:
FOR VIA CLERICI, BRESSO (on the southern end of Bresso's airport): take Milan's yellow metro/#3 to the Zara stop--CHECK with the subway guys, your ticket will need a supplement. Go up to the street level, and take the 31 bus/tram heading towards Cinisello Balsamo for 15 stops, get off at the via Clerici stop.
FOR VIALE MATTEOTTI/VIALE GRANDI, BRESSO (on the long western side of Bresso's airport): take Milan's yellow metro/#3 to the Comasina stop--CHECK with the subway guys, your ticket will need a supplement. Go up to the street level, and take the 83 bus/tram heading to the Ca' Granda for 8 stops. Get off at the via Villa stop, and walk straight down via Villa a bit to the airport (viale Matteotti/viale Grandi). N.B., this will probably be the faster route because the part in the metro is much longer.
Sunday, June 3: 10 A.M., High Mass presided by Benedict XVI at "Parco Nord," Milan, Bresso airport
Want to register (it might be obligatory, at least for certain events)? Want more info? See their website (in English, yeah!): http://www.family2012.com/en/program/
Here's the scoop!
Tuesday, May 29, morning: Fiera MilanoCity, the old convention center in town (on the "Amendola" stop of the red/#1 metro line, or the "Domodossola" stop of the blue line/"Passante"--there are lots of blue line trains available at various points throughout the city, check to make sure that you're on one that stops at "Domodossola," or you might end up in another town!), welcome and opening remarks; the Fiera web site is in English, yeah!: http://www.micmilano.it/DoveSiamo_en.html)
Wednesday, May 30: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:30 A.M. through the rest of the day, welcome and speeches in the morning, sessions in the afternoon; masses at unspecified (regular and/or special?!) times in parish churches; dinner with parish families followed by parish celebratory events
Thursday, May 31: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:30 A.M. through the rest of the day, welcome and speeches in the morning, afternoon sessions (at MilanoCity and throughout Lombardy) followed by dinner and celebrations at the event locations
Friday, June 1: Fiera MilanoCity, from 9:00 A.M., speeches, then afternoon events throughout town followed by dinner with host families or at the various parishes. 8 P.M. concert at La Scala (only for the "delegations," sorry folks!), followed by 9:30 P.M. Adoration of the Eucharist at the Duomo and at various churches throughout town
Saturday, June 2: morning celebrations in parishes and with various groups (unspecified times and places); the afternoon is dedicated to reaching the venue where the pope will be, presumably the "Parco Nord" ("Park on the north of town"), Bresso airport, because that's where the "Feast of Testimonies" with the pope is to be.
YIKES! How to get there? I couldn't find the info on the "Family" web site, but I hunted around in Milan's public transportation web site (http://www.atm-mi.it) to give you a helping hand, so here it is:
FOR VIA CLERICI, BRESSO (on the southern end of Bresso's airport): take Milan's yellow metro/#3 to the Zara stop--CHECK with the subway guys, your ticket will need a supplement. Go up to the street level, and take the 31 bus/tram heading towards Cinisello Balsamo for 15 stops, get off at the via Clerici stop.
FOR VIALE MATTEOTTI/VIALE GRANDI, BRESSO (on the long western side of Bresso's airport): take Milan's yellow metro/#3 to the Comasina stop--CHECK with the subway guys, your ticket will need a supplement. Go up to the street level, and take the 83 bus/tram heading to the Ca' Granda for 8 stops. Get off at the via Villa stop, and walk straight down via Villa a bit to the airport (viale Matteotti/viale Grandi). N.B., this will probably be the faster route because the part in the metro is much longer.
Sunday, June 3: 10 A.M., High Mass presided by Benedict XVI at "Parco Nord," Milan, Bresso airport
Want to register (it might be obligatory, at least for certain events)? Want more info? See their website (in English, yeah!): http://www.family2012.com/en/program/
Saturday, April 28, 2012
May Day, May Day...! Will the public transportation be available?
May Day! May Day!
The public transportation service will not be normal on the first of May, a public holiday. Instead, it will run in Milan from 7 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. (too bad that the ATM English language pages of the web site are not complete...you would have missed this news, had you depended on THEM!).
Beware, too, on the 30th of April...Saturday hours will be in force on this pre-holiday day.
Check the websites for the public transportation of other cities.
Hope this helps!
Enjoy!
The public transportation service will not be normal on the first of May, a public holiday. Instead, it will run in Milan from 7 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. (too bad that the ATM English language pages of the web site are not complete...you would have missed this news, had you depended on THEM!).
Beware, too, on the 30th of April...Saturday hours will be in force on this pre-holiday day.
Check the websites for the public transportation of other cities.
Hope this helps!
Enjoy!
Wow! Italy has a new (private) train service: .italo
Today, a new (private and fast) train service five years in the making fired up the first trains: ".italo"...yeah!
With only a handful of stops (for now), but touted as cheaper than the national train service "Trenitalia," it--like some low-cost plane services--uses the more peripheral stations...More...
In Rome, it arrives and departs from Tibertina, while in Milan you can catch it at the Rogoredo station (easily reached with the yellow line of the subway) and at the Porta Garibaldi station (for the moment, easily reached with a few bus lines, but in the next few years, it will be on the new blue subway line).
Other cities? Turin, Bologna, Florence, Naples and Salerno. All of the stations may not yet be active.
Got any more good news?
Yes!
It has pages in English! http://www.italotreno.it/EN/DISCOVER-ITALO/Pages/overview.aspx
So, what's the service like? The wagons looked modern and comfortable, but you'll have to wait 'til I take it for the scoop on plugs and WiFi and...let's face it...clean bathrooms.
In the meantime...enjoy!
P.S., Google and Blogger have changed things, again, and--at least for the moment--it's not possible to preview the entire message before sending...so here's crossing my fingers that all goes well!
With only a handful of stops (for now), but touted as cheaper than the national train service "Trenitalia," it--like some low-cost plane services--uses the more peripheral stations...More...
In Rome, it arrives and departs from Tibertina, while in Milan you can catch it at the Rogoredo station (easily reached with the yellow line of the subway) and at the Porta Garibaldi station (for the moment, easily reached with a few bus lines, but in the next few years, it will be on the new blue subway line).
Other cities? Turin, Bologna, Florence, Naples and Salerno. All of the stations may not yet be active.
Got any more good news?
Yes!
It has pages in English! http://www.italotreno.it/EN/DISCOVER-ITALO/Pages/overview.aspx
So, what's the service like? The wagons looked modern and comfortable, but you'll have to wait 'til I take it for the scoop on plugs and WiFi and...let's face it...clean bathrooms.
In the meantime...enjoy!
P.S., Google and Blogger have changed things, again, and--at least for the moment--it's not possible to preview the entire message before sending...so here's crossing my fingers that all goes well!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Freshen up your house at the international furniture trade fair, April 17-22, Milan
That sofa looking a bit ragged? Living room looking a bit drab? Brighten things up on a big scale at the international furniture trade fair in Milan (April 17-22), in the 'new' fairgrounds and convention center in the suburb twin city of Rho-Pero: http://www.cosmit.it/en/salone_internazionale_del_mobile (hey, it's in ENGLISH!).
NOTE: "Open to the general public only on Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22." (P.S., April 21st is Rome's birthday...happy birthday, Rome!)
Take the handy subway out...but forewarned is forearmed. The convention center is outside the circle of the standard public transportation fee, so there's a surcharge on the basic round-trip ticket. Get the skinny (in English, yeah!), here: http://new.atm-mi.it/en/ViaggiaConNoi/Biglietti/Pages/BigliettiRhoFiera.aspx.
NOTE: "Open to the general public only on Saturday, April 21, and Sunday, April 22." (P.S., April 21st is Rome's birthday...happy birthday, Rome!)
Take the handy subway out...but forewarned is forearmed. The convention center is outside the circle of the standard public transportation fee, so there's a surcharge on the basic round-trip ticket. Get the skinny (in English, yeah!), here: http://new.atm-mi.it/en/ViaggiaConNoi/Biglietti/Pages/BigliettiRhoFiera.aspx.
State Museum Freebies April 14-22
For the XIVth annual week of culture (April 14-22), the Italian government is offering free entry to STATE-owned museums: http://www.beniculturali.it/mibac/export/MiBAC/sito-MiBAC/Contenuti/MibacUnif/Eventi/visualizza_asset.html_622988441.html (in Italian).
Other museums may not participate (and don't bedrudge it...entrance fees cover only a small portion of day-to-day costs, let alone the humongous costs incurred for mounting special exhibits).
Gather ye (painted and sculpted) rosebuds while ye may...
Enjoy!
Other museums may not participate (and don't bedrudge it...entrance fees cover only a small portion of day-to-day costs, let alone the humongous costs incurred for mounting special exhibits).
Gather ye (painted and sculpted) rosebuds while ye may...
Enjoy!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Milano City Marathon (not to be confused with the StraMilano marathon) and blankets
Run covered with a blanket? I guess they do have those space-age blankets. You could run covered in one of those.
You're going to need it, tomorrow (April 15), for the Milano City Marathon (because of which the center of town will be closed to car traffic until mid-afternoon...the up side is that the ATM ticket is valid for a lot longer). More rain and cold is predicted...More......
Want more info about this marathon through town (not to be confused with the StraMilano that took place last month)...in English? Here's a bank's website with helpful stuff (no plug for the bank intended, but, Cosmos bless them, they have a page in English): http://milanocitymarathon.gazzetta.it/?lang=en.
You're going to need extra blankets even if you're not running in the marathon.
Right on time with the return of the cold is the city-wide (nation-wide?) mandated shutting off of centralized heating.
So, get out your blankets, cuddle up, and watch the runners go by.
Enjoy!
You're going to need it, tomorrow (April 15), for the Milano City Marathon (because of which the center of town will be closed to car traffic until mid-afternoon...the up side is that the ATM ticket is valid for a lot longer). More rain and cold is predicted...More......
Want more info about this marathon through town (not to be confused with the StraMilano that took place last month)...in English? Here's a bank's website with helpful stuff (no plug for the bank intended, but, Cosmos bless them, they have a page in English): http://milanocitymarathon.gazzetta.it/?lang=en.
You're going to need extra blankets even if you're not running in the marathon.
Right on time with the return of the cold is the city-wide (nation-wide?) mandated shutting off of centralized heating.
So, get out your blankets, cuddle up, and watch the runners go by.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Accessible (i.e., affordable) Art, 12-15 April, 2012
Love art, and wish you could buy and collect originals? This one's not for sale, though! It's one of my needlepoints!Here's your chance. Another "affordable art" event: Arte accessibile.
Now in it's 4th edition, it will be held in...More......
...the "Spazio EventiQuattro" of the newspaper group Il Sole-24 Ore"* in via Monte Rosa, 91, Milan, from the 12th to the 15th of April.
For further info about times and costs: http://www.arteaccessibile.com/en/. Yeah! At least part of it is in English!
To follow my blog on hand-done needlepointing, see "Ars acupicturae - Star's Needlepoint Art," http://arsacupicturaestellae.blogspot.com.
*For those of you who don't speak Italian, the number "24" is pronounced "venti-quattro," so the name of the space "Eventi-Quattro" is a play on their newspaper name.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Blatant Plug for a Friend's One-Man Show (and the scoop about what I did with my Easter vacation)
Here's a blatant plug for a friend's one-man show: popular John Peter Sloan will delight (mostly in Italian) audiences at the Teatro Smeraldo, Milan, on the 12th of April, 2012, for more information and other cities, see http://www.teatrosmeraldo.it. Go, John!
And now for the scoop about my Easter Sunday and Angel Monday...More......
Lovely, lovely, lovely: much needed rest and the healing comforting company of friends (none of whom are visible in this snap of the lovely weather to be had in the Piazza del Duomo on Easter day, the same angle appearing in a blog post months ago with the taxis waiting in dreary weather, http://mymilanitaly.blogspot.it/2010/11/milans-taxis.html).
Walked my friend to the tram, and spotted this spring-y little robot in a shop window on Via Torino.Fade out Easter day, fade in Angel Monday...huh? 'What is Angel Monday?,' I can hear you asking. I'd never heard of it before coming to Italy, either, so don't feel silly. If you're not Catholic, you probably don't know, either.
It's the Monday immediately following Easter, and is a holy feast day dedicated to angels, so it's a public holiday, too. (Good going! This is one thing I *love* about living in Italy...the hectic pace of modern life is tempered with a sprinkling of a few more public holidays than in the U.S., well, at least it WAS...with the crunch, some of them have been cancelled, boo-hoo!)
Got another glimpse of one of the "crazy" new skyscrapers going up around town. This one in the Porta Nuova* area looks like it's pregnant.*The second, newer, Porta Nuova, from the NeoClassical era, not the earlier, older one of the same name (that wasn't very clever, was it?) from the medieval period. I think I should do a post just on the gates of Milan.
Did I mention two excellent movies, too?
The first movie we saw, and had planned to see, is called "Magnifiche Presenze" ("Magnificent Presences") by Ozpetek, a Turk, who has lived many years in Rome, where the film is set (in Italian, but with a video, http://www.cinetv.info/film/commedie/magnifica-presenza-trama-e-trailer/). I'll only reveal what is clear from the billboards: a young man somehow comes into contact with spirits from the 1940s. A dream-like film, gorgeous to see, too, that explores the relationship between reality and fiction, but with a delicate touch. I'd enjoy seeing it, again, and that's always a good sign.
Wandering in a dreamy state, we chanced by the theater where the other film that had interested us was playing, but another one looked even better, and was more personally significant: "La scomparsa di Patò" (The Disappearance of Patò), book and screenplay by a wonderful author, Camilleri, http://www.comingsoon.it/Film/Scheda/Trama/?key=48318&film=La-scomparsa-di-Pato.
Is it crazy to see two films, one right after the other? Who cares?! In the right place at the right time, we launched ourselves into that experience, too. I was very curious to see how the film transposed the narrative--expressed through a series of letters and newspaper clippings--into film. I won't spoil the surprise, I'll only say that--except for the more obvious spelling out of the ending, which in the book is more delicately and effectively left to the reader's imagination--it was a delightful expression of the story.
The two-day holiday (with a bit of work thrown in so as not to feel guilty!) came to a delicious end: oh, what a heavenly smell and colors...the wisteria is blooming on via Monte Santo - Monte Grappa.I hope your Easter and Angel Monday were restful and significant, too.
These pictures were snapped on Easter Sunday and Angel Monday with you in mind for your personal, non-commercial pleasure.
Enjoy!
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