Newsletter 2

BLENDING newsletter 2

pa lazz i ST U D EN T S ERV I C ES O CT.N OV. 2 0 1 1 2

fall Issu e

Photo courtesy of David Andre Weiss

Breaking news apicius and DiVa students Take new York by storm and almost get snowed in!

By Blending Staff From October 23 to 30, a team of 14 students and 5 faculty members produced a full week of events featuring the Italian Riviera in New York City. Events were entirely based on a coastal theme, and took place in the city’s most prestigious food locations such as De Gustibus Cooking School at Macy’s in Herald Square, Astor Wines & Spirits and the James Beard Foundation. Students also got the chance to dine as clients at the James Beard Foundation, meet with US wine distributors and producers of event wines, visit the kitchen of high-end restaurant Cafè Boulud, and even cook with Boulud sous chef Alex Martinez who came to help out at the James Beard dinner. The team of faculty and staff served over 250 guests at all four events combined, definitely taking New York by storm but not letting an unusual October snowfall damper the preparations of the final capstone James Beard dinner event on October 30!

Find out more at the PAlAzzI food blog CiboChat: http://blog.apicius.it/?category_name=tuttotoscanajames-beard-foundation-2011

newsletter 2 OCT-NOV 2011

CUrrenT anD UPCOMing eVenTs Upcoming events

By Blending Staff

Did you know that modern day banking was born in Florence? learn all about the early banks and banking families that ran Florence and gave rise to a modern day commodity.

Money and Beauty. Bankers, Botticelli and the Bonfire of the Vanities

September 17 to January 22, 2012

the Unified States October 1 to December 20 Archivio di Stato info: 055 263201 www.archiviodistato.firenze.it Museums are known for their masterpieces that take up entire walls and, at times, rooms. But take a closer look;, explore tourist- free rooms in the museums, and you will discover that not all masterpieces are in plain sight.

The Treasure Rooms. Wonders of the collectors in the museums of Florence

Palazzo Strozzi info: 055 2645155 www.palazzostrozzi.org

October 3 to April 15, 2012

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy and discover the role your home away from home (Tuscany) played in this important historical event.

Citizens of Italy. First steps of Tuscany in

Palazzo Medici Riccardi e Museo Bardini, Museo Stibbert, Museo Horne, Fondazione Salvatore Romano, Palazzo Davanzati, Museo Rodolfo Siviero, Museo Bandini www.stanzedeitesori.it/

Beautiful Italy. Art and Identity of the capital cities from October 11 to March 4, 2012 Museo degli Argenti, Galleria Palatina, Galleria Arte Moderna, Galleria del Costume info: 055 23885 www.unannoadarte.it Exhibition of six paintings by Vasari from October 13 to January 8, 2012 Sala delle Colonne e Sale dell’Abbondanza, via Bufalini 6 info: 055 2613289 - 055 5384503 www.entecarifirenze.it

arTs The Brooklyn Bridge Moves to italy

By Brittany Benevento The beautiful ARIA art gallery is showing works by Burhan Dogancay that focus on unique angles and shots of New York City's Brooklyn Bridge. The exhibit will be running from September 29 through November 27.

Turning into the entrance of the gallery, one immediately feels very calm.

Surrounded by beautiful landscape with rocks, plants and fountains, the space is very well put together. Once inside, the grittiness of New York City hits you immediately. The walls of the gallery are stark white with only Dogancay’s shots on the walls. There are two rooms with four to five pictures to each wall.

Each picture has a view of the Brooklyn Bridge that is more amazing than the previous one; one begins to wonder just how Dogancay could get such great angles. Some of the photos even evoke uneasiness from their height and vividness. Any photo that can arise a physical human feeling is a photo worth seeing.

Upon entering this gallery, be prepared to see a Brooklyn Bridge that you’ve never seen before. Dogancay makes one open his/her eyes in a different way toward a monument that had become virtually mundane.

ARIA art gallery presents: The Brooklyn Bridge as You’ve Never Seen It Before

By Burhan Dogancay September 29th, 2011 until November 27th, 2011 ARIA Art Gallery Borgo Santi Apostoli 40 - Firenze, 50123 As briefly mentioned in the Wine News, a piece of Italy moved to NYC for an entire week! From October 24 through 29, PAlAzzI faculty and students transplated flavors of the Italian Riviera at prestigious NYC gastronomic locations.

Read more about it at http://blog.apicius.it/?category_name=tuttotoscanajames-beardfoundation-2011.

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PHOTO CAPTION: Burhan Dogançay from the series Brooklyn Bridge-as never seen before Gelatin silver print, shot in 1986 and printed in 2011

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OCT-NOV 2011 newsletter 2

aBCs of art: Florence, the new Cradle of artists in residence

By Alex and Becky Chipkin There are only two residencies in the Florentine contemporary art scene. F_AIR – Florence Artist In Residence, and its gallery, an extension of FUA School of Fine Arts, hosts one artist per semester. Villa Romana, a historic building just outside the city walls, hosts multiple residents simultaneously. Currently, Maria Raponi (1975 Toronto, CA) is the artist at F_AIR and Nora Schultz (1975 Frankfurt, DE) is one of the artists at Villa Romana. Both F_AIR and Villa Romana give artists a chance to live on their premises and create artwork. These parallel interviews focus on each artist's experience in their respective residencies and in Florence in general.

Interviews were conducted in Florence, October 2011 Photo courtesy of Maria Raponi

Nora Schultz

Alex and Becky Chipkin: Why did you decide to take a residency program?

Nora Schultz: I was selected to participate in this fellowship. I was happy to receive this offer after I had applied many times to residencies like this one.

ABC: Why did you choose to do this residency?

NSch: I really wanted to spend some time somewhere else. Not worry about finances and work on my artwork. I didn't really know about the place [Villa Romana].

Angelika Stepken, the director of the Villa, really succeeds in keeping this place lively and open, Photo courtesy of Nora Schultz as guests are invited and events are happening which are dissolving the confines of this place that could otherwise easily become a German enclave in a rather quiet contemporary cultural background of Florence. I really appreciate this.

ABC: Do you feel integrated in the residency? In Florence?

NSch: There is a gap between the Villa and the city of Florence. I am integrated well with the Villa, but not with the city. I am very happy about the whole setup in the Villa; it's a perfect mixture of very fruitful and interesting conversation and exchange on the one hand, and on the other there is always the possibility to separate and even isolate which I sometimes need.

ABC: We visited the Villa during the Open Studios on the 10th of September and saw your works in progress. Has your work gone in a new direction since then?

NSch: The work I showed in the open studios – I worked with a kind of fiction, this idea of Cararra, ordering a stone block and it being sent to Firenze. The idea of this way of movement, the idea of fiction, and the idea of this condensed material. I was also interested in locating Cararra outside in the garden [of Villa Romana].

ABC: Do you feel that there are these underground ideas and movements which are difficult to penetrate?

NSch: I am sure there are. There is this autonomy, and I would like to know more about it. Maybe it has to do with this family connection also – the idea of strong workers’ associations, and the fact that they freed themselves of fascism. They have this certain power and possibilities which are still somehow there. I, as a tourist, am confronted with this constant talk – also from other foreign people about the Italian familiarship, and the good food. It is like these “good ingredients” – which are, I think, a myth. I don’t believe that this is the true Italy; I just believe that I cannot really dive under to see what this is really about. I don’t want to stick in this criticism about Italy in this very banal way, and at the same time, I am confronted with the same questions in my own work.

First, how I felt that my work was considered here, that my work was very much related to Arte Povera. It was seen as something that was beautiful, very formalist – which I didn’t think about – it was really not my topic, and I felt like there was this certain view that I didn’t understand. Now, I think that I had received it wrong.

ABC: When did your residency start? When does it end?

NSch: I have been here for around 8 months – since the end of February. It ends at the end of November.

Maria Raponi

Alexandra and Rebecca Chipkin: Why did you decide to take a residency program?

Maria Raponi: Once in a while, it’s nice to be in a different place and not have your daily life be exactly the same as it normally is. It’s not ever really for just one reason. I tend to work on my own projects, and then I work on community projects and sometimes, when I’m working on other projects, I get wrapped up in them. About that time is when I decide I should focus on my own work, and my mind goes to residencies.

ABC: Why did you choose to do this residency?

MR: I have an Italian background, but I haven’t spent much time in Italy. So when I heard that there was a residency in Florence, at first I was unsure whether I would want to spend time in Florence. I was worried – I guess you hear so much about Florence and how it really is this renaissance city; I thought it might be weird to stay in a city like that for four months and to be in a bit of a bubble. But at the same time, I thought it would be really nice to have the time and get to see a lot of the works that I studied all the time and visit them and sort of make work in that city.

ABC: You have been here in Florence since August. Do you feel integrated in Florence? In the residency?

MR: I don't think something like this is possible in such a short time. As my time here passes, I do feel my connection to the city deepening. Small things, like running into people I know in the street and random serendipitous conversations with strangers, add layers to my connection with Florence. The school itself is different. I live at F_AIR and through this, I interact with students, professors and staff daily. It has allowed for friendships to develop quite easily and has fostered a strong sense of community almost immediately. From my very first day, everyone at all levels of the school has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I do mean all levels of FUA and not just F_AIR. Teaching at DIVA (another department) allows me to connect more personally with people involved in other sections of the school and of course my students, but my relationship to the school expands constantly through the ongoing series of openings/events and though my daily activities.

ABC: What is your experience like - living almost in a gallery [at F_AIR]?

MR: The gallery functions both a walkway for me to get out of my apartment and for the students to get to their classes. There’s that daily practice of walking through the gallery. It is changing the way I would set up my exhibition – it’s not a normal gallery – in a good way. Its multiple functions are important.

ABC: Has the concept of your work changed from before the residency started to what you are doing now?

MR: Definitely. And I think it always does. When doing a residency project, I think it’s strange for me to be in a different site and propose something and then come here and do it. The work I proposed is nothing like what I’m gonna make. There are relations to it. When I was in Dortmund it was the same sort of thing. What I ended up doing was very different than what I first proposed. This allowed for a bit more conversation.

ABC: When is your exhibit and when does your residency end?

MR: My exhibit will open on December 1st. The residency will end before the end of December.

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“ambient reflections: Candida Ferrari”

Candida Ferrari La Luce della Leggerezza, 2010 Courtesy of Galleria Varart

By Megan Standbrook Nestled quietly on Via dell'Oriuolo, the unassuming Varart Gallery, from mid-June through mid-October, held within its walls a striking and innovative exhibition: La Luce della Leggerezza. The artist, Candida Ferrari, harnesses the power of light as the driving force principle behind her work.

The pieces are made using pedestrian materials such as scrap aluminum from retired perfume bottles and plexiglass. The mediums are constructed in a way that makes them appear rich and elegant.

The works flow across the leveled backdrop of Varart Gallery and reflect the ambience of their surroundings. Ferraridoes not confine herself to the traditional notion of the canvas, and the sprawl of pieces swim and deepen within each layer.

Ferrari is as unafraid of bold color as she is unconventional mediums - many of the sculptures and paintings have quick, flowing lines of bright gold, and in some cases, a savage red that evokes a sanguine connotation. Many of the pieces also emphasize the contrast between light and dark, often placing the two side by side. While exploring this duality is far from novel, Ferrari manages to be charming and innovative, leaving the viewer fascinated and stunned. The movement of the light throughout the gallery very much resembles the flow of water, and Ferrari's makeshift sea is a tide to get lost in.

Verart Gallery Via dell'Oriuolo 47/49r 50122 FlORENCE

notes from the Venice Biennale

By Giovanni Bove* It is really astonishing to find a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance Art at the Venice Biennale. I don't mean the original one, I mean a copy as part of a modern installation: Sottopelle,

by Renato Meneghetti. The work is an x-ray detection of the lamentation of Christ (c.1480) by the Italian Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna and of other paintings inspired by the same topic. Meneghetti’s technique, based on x-ray, is very effective to reveal the importance of perspective in representing Christ’s suffering. The subtitle - “Vedere dentro, vedere oltre” - is very functional to underline this approach. In Mantegna’s work, the suffering of Christ strikes the spectator’s eye by the original position of the body (in that period, this topic was represented by half-length portraits).

By putting x-rays over the paintings, Sottopelle displays how a modern technique can further enhance the fundamental device of the perspective. X-rays urge the spectator to consider spatiality in a completely different way by inviting to the perception that suffering is not only in the flesh but inside the body as well; that is to say, “vedere dentro, vedere oltre”. * Giovanni Bove is an expert of Semiotics and Communication.

For those interested in exploring the subject of "Semiotics in the Visual Arts," the course will be offered at FUA in future academic sessions.

Photos courtesy of Giovanni Bove

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TraVeL

OCT-NOV 2011 newsletter 2

Tuscany and its wines

By Lauren Bushman Students from Florence University of the Arts caught the tail end of grape harvesting season with a trip to Tuscany this past Saturday.

With an early start at 7:30 AM, students took a bus to Pienza where they enjoyed the beautiful views of the Tuscan hillside just outside of Siena. A perfect manifestation of a Renaissance town, Pienza was redesigned in 1459 by Pope Pius II according to his wishes for an “ideal” municipality to serve as his retreat from Rome. Known today for its pecorino cheese, students and tourists alike enjoyed samplings from the town shops.

Students then traveled to the Bindella winery just outside of Montepulciano. The group got to view the entire winemaking process from beginning to end. They started with the vineyards that are harvested by hand, then saw the machinery used to press the grapes, and finished by peering into the wine cellars in which the wine ages for two plus years. After another year spent in the bottle, Bindella winery considers its wine ready to be labeled and sold. The winery’s motto is “terra vite vita.” (“earth, vines, life.”)

The main event, which students were anticipating all day, was a wine tasting along with a smattering of dishes which included: salami, toasted bread with olive oil, rice, and cheese. After purchasing a couple bottles of wine, the students were off to their last stop in the town of Montepulciano. They had the afternoon to enjoy strolling along the hilly cobblestone streets, shop in the artisan stores, and test their new wine knowledge with a glass of Vino Noblie.

Photos courtesy of lauren Bushman

FOODies Foodie Flash

By Carey Wong Carey Wong is a Yelp! Contributer who is sharing her personal take on the Florentine cuisine.

Semel Overall rating: 4 ½ stars Category: Italian, Panini Price Range: €

Photo by Alessandro Schneider

“The best panino in the world?” Maybe “the most adventurous panini in Florence” would be more appropriate for Semel’s selection of unique sandwiches. You can try one of their more fanciful options, like donkey or boar, if you hunt down the unmarked doorway on the north end of Piazza lorenzo Ghiberti.

You could walk by a hundred times and not realize it’s there, but it is magical once you discover it and step inside.

The place is about half the size of my bedroom, adorned like a hunting cabin with walls covered in antlers and trout-engraved dishware. When I realized the man behind the counter did not speak English, I knew I was in trouble. One wrong turn with anchovies and octopus on the menu, and I would be in for a surprise. luckily, a couple enjoying their lunch inside spoke English and took the time to translate each of the panini to me, eager to boast that you can get things at Semel you can’t get

anywhere else in Florence. I found myself gravitating towards the pork, but when the owner teased that Americans would never try the donkey, I just had to get it.

He took a small but fresh roll and carefully spooned what looked like an intimidating meat stew onto the bread. It came served hot, keeping with the style of the interior, on top of a mallard duck plate.

Even though he asked what I wanted to drink, I didn’t really have a choice since there was a glass of red wine in front of me in seconds. Now this is where you really have to take your time, because although the portions are small, every bite is delicious.

The bread was soft on the inside, but just crunchy enough on the outside. Allegedly I was eating donkey with radicchio, but it tasted

Photo courtesy of Carey Wong

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newsletter 2 OCT-NOV 2011 like a well-seasoned beef stew with peppers, onions, and black pepper. And I have to admit, the red wine went perfectly with the meal.

With so many tourist traps in Florence, sitting at one of the three stools in this tiny, hidden shop made me feel like a true local. Plus now I can forever say that I have ingested the animal that says “hee haw” and I don’t regret it! Now how many people can say that?

Menu Selection: 4 ½ stars For the lack of options, the selection sure is unique! They have the basics like: herb pork, veggie stew, fish, and tortello. But some of the more interesting items included: donkey with radicchio, wild boar, anchovies with rose petals, and parmesan octopus.

Price/Value: 5 stars Great value for the quality and novelty of the items found on the menu, even if the sandwiches are small. A panino ciuco and a glass of vino rosso came to a total 5€ - what a steal!

Service: 4 ½ stars If you don’t speak Italian, I might bring a dictionary. Semel is a risky place to choose randomly if something gets lost in translation. Also, apparently pairing white wine with donkey is blasphemous, so he might pour you red regardless of what you order.

Semel is a lovely place that I immediately felt welcome in, and I would love to return sometime. Part of its greatness is being the secret hole-in-the-wall, and they’re not getting a sign anytime soon. So I challenge you to take the time to find this amazing place, and maybe even try the boar.

Piazza Ghiberti, 44r, Firenze (On the north side of the square) Neighborhood: San Marco Open for lunch 12-3, closed on Sunday

Da Kou Overall Rating: 4 stars Category: Asian Fusion Price Range: €€ Good news sushi lovers! You can get all your favorites at Da Kou; and if you are less inclined to eat that eel and fish stuff, like me, don’t worry because there are lots of mouth-watering options for us, too! Before the food, I was immediately excited by their legless

Photo courtesy of Carey Wong

chairs on elevated platforms, so you could sit cross-legged on the floor while eating your sushi. How authentic!

We were the only ones in the restaurant for an early dinner, which created a lovely, romantic atmosphere for a date. But regardless of whom we wish we were with, my roommate and I still had a great time. After perusing through each item on the menu, she decided to get the California roll and Ebiten (shrimp tempura) roll; I got the yakitori (chicken teriyaki), and we split the fried rice with the mysterious “aromatic meat,” which turned out to just be pork.

Taking into account my Asian background and the authentic Asian food of my Californian hometown, I was a little weary of what type of “Japanese fusion” I would encounter so far from home. But I have to deem this restaurant as delicious after devouring every morsel of food on that table. I am no sushi expert, but I have been told it was “delectable,” and our fried rice was some of the best I have ever had. But what really made the meal, for me, was my jasmine tea, which was like a little piece of home in a teapot.

Menu Selection: 5 stars There are lots of options on the menu like: gyoza, salads with seaweed, sushi, noodles, rice, ramen, seafood, and skewers. If you’re a tea lover, they’ve got all the bases covered. And if you’re a sake bomb lover, I’m sure you’ll also leave satisfied.

Price/Value: 3 stars Da Kou is more on the pricey side, but typical for Asian Fusion.

We paid 9€ for yakitori, 10€ per sushi roll, 8€ for fried rice, 2€ for pot of jasmine tea, and a 1,50€ coperto per person.

Service: 4 stars Our waitress worked very hard to make sure she got our special requests covered, but my yakitori didn’t come until we had finished the rest of the meal. In true Italian tradition, they let us sit and have a long, long chat after our meal, but eventually we got a hold of her for the check. like Tijuana is the spot for Mexican food lovers in Florence, Da Kou is mine for Japanese food. I highly recommend everyone, from Asian-food newbies to veterans, spend an evening here relishing in delicious food. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to take advantage of that romantic atmosphere. But for now, my roommate and I remain the lucky ones.

Via Del Melarancio, 19r, Firenze Neighborhood: San lorenzo http://www.dakou.it/

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wine news

OCT-NOV 2011 newsletter 2

Tuscany by the glass Coverage of the wine auction event held October 6, 2011

By Allison Miller The energy was high; you could feel the enthusiasm and excitement in the room; this was a celebration; this was a competition.

This was the annual Tuscan wine auction.

As the sampling of the wines began, I had the opportunity to interview four FUA students from the wine program that were attending the event. When I asked each student what most took them by surprise since starting their wine program, I got a wonderful array of input. Valerie Bordelon responded with “I came here expecting to learn how to detect the smell of the wine and how the taste of the wine effects my palate, but instead I have learned about the anatomy of the grape”. Michael Mischloney added that he was taken aback by the sophistication of the industry and how many different aspects were at play. He has come to understand that the wine industry has been overly commercialized and now knows how to look for the small vineyards that still practice the art of fine wine making. When speaking to Sarah Rizvi, who is studying media marketing for the food industry, she reflected on her experience of the auction as “something I haven’t ever tasted before”.

This annual event was a perfect blending of local and regional producers, wine experts, commercial producers and distributors, and wine enthusiasts at every level.

After a couple of hours, there was a noticeable shift in the tempo and mood in the room. The sampling was over, and the serious business of the auction itself was taking center stage. With complete silence in the room, the auctioneer held everyone’s full attention.

As they moved through the catalog of over 200 bottles of wine, you got the sense that a lot of money was changing hands. The highest price bottle, Chateau lafite Rothschild 1986, had a starting bid of 15,000 euro. With quite a bit of elegance, several bottles were fought over which escalated the price even higher. Some were buying for their private collection while others, such as the owners of the famed Pinchiorri restaurant, sent their representative to purchase bottles for their wine cellar.

True to the Italian way of life, they don’t just make wine. They labor to hone their craft in order to serve you their best artistic rendering of the taste of Tuscany in a glass.

Harvest in Poggio scalette

By Jennifer Gross and Yan Cui Wine Studies professional students Jennifer Gross and Yan Cui spent a week harvesting at Poggio Scalette, owned and operated by one of Chianti’s key innovators. Following is an update from their harvest diary.

We arrived early Monday morning at Poggio Scalette which is a vineyard nestled in the hills of Greve in Chianti. We were greeted

by Jurij Fiore and his wife who showed us around their beautiful property. The vineyard sits below the property and is expansive with over 30 acres of vineyards, 25 acres of olive groves, 25 acres of crops, 12 acres of woods, and 8 acres of uncultivated areas.

“Greve” in Chianti literally means a small river that runs through the hills which grace the small town below. The vineyards are mainly facing southwest and ideal for growing high quality grapes/wines. The name Podere Poggio Scalette comes from the hills that it surrounds. When looking down at the vineyard, you can

see a generous slope which looks like stairs that slowly beckon you towards the town. Most of the grapes grown here are the notorious Tuscan grape known as the Sangiovese.

On one of the large terraces sits the more then seventy year old vines that yield the famous Sangiovese. These vines are considered extremely important as they are clones of the rare Sangiovese di lamole.

Today, the winery is managed by Fiore's son Jurij. He is now a qualified Technicien Superieur en Vitocolture and Oenologie a Beaune, and he is the most humble, passionate, gentle, funny and sincere person we have ever met. We spent last week together to observe harvesting and fermentation.We have learned a lot of things from him.

After four days harvesting at Podere Poggio Scalette, we had spent lots of time with Jurij's family. We have learned so many things about wine and viticulture, and we thoroughly enjoyed this precious experience.

wine & Food appreciation

By Becca Pillola As we try hard not to stand out as American international students, we tend to change our dress a little. Maybe we try out some fabulous Italian shoes, a scarf here or there, put away those baseball caps and hooded sweatshirts, but the clothes we wear are not the only things that make us stand out!

The next time you go out, try observing the role and importance of wine for Italians, as a product involving plenty of science it has become a central component of the Italian table. Italians have a cultural intuition for wines and how to match them to food. Food and wine enhance each other and are inextricably entwined in Italian cuisine. Here are a few favorites so far.

For red wine lovers, I would recommend any kind of Santa Cristina. The 2010 I.G.T was great. It has 13% alcohol, but it is not persistent and the after taste does not last long. There is a fruity, berry, and cherry scent to it. It goes well with pasta, ham, salami

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toscano, cheeses, and chocolate. This Santa Cristina is an all day wine. So enjoy it during lunch, with your aperitivo, or with your dinner and dessert.

For those who enjoy a nice refreshing white wine, I would recommend the Possessioni Bianco from the Veneto region. The producer is Masi for Serego Alighieri. It is made with 100% garganega grapes. It has a straw yellow color with 12.5% of alcohol. There is a refreshing, fruity smell to this. It pairs nicely with fresh vegetables, flavored cheeses, anything with lemon dressing, salads, cold pasta salad, angel hair pasta, and apples with Brie cheese. Enjoy this wine before it gets too cold out there though, it feels much better in the spring, summer, and early fall weather.

Sit and enjoy these wines and think about their relationship to food culture the next time you’re out wearing those fashionable Italian clothes, and you will for sure fit in here in Florence!

Watch out for Santa Cristina at our Antinori-Apicius event in New York City that took place on October 25th! Apicius faculty and students presented at Astor Wines & Spirits, one of NYC’s premier wine retailors. See event info here: http://www.astorcenternyc.com/classthe-italian-riviera-coastal-flavors-of-tuscany-and-liguria.ac

FasHiOn news Milan's Fashion week

By Megan Looney

Megan looney brings back a sneak peek from Nenette’s Spring collection in Milan and lets us in on future fashion events in Florence.

Rose pedals were sprinkled across the stage before the brave Nenette models, wearing stacked skyscraper heels, strutt proudly across the platform and then up the four tiered mini staircase located in the center of the stage. The mood was set perfectly for the show last Saturday; French music floating effortlessly over the crowd that was seated outside during Milan's Fashion Week, awaiting Nenette's spring/summer 2012 collection.

The nearly ten minute long display was cohesive, young, fresh, and flirty. Nenette, a Milanbased brand created by Marco Fermi and Raffaella Galazzo in 2005, is catered towards the elegant, modern, contemporary woman. The dream-team featured such trends as: beautifully draped floral chiffon, dynamic headpieces and scarves, sequined dresses and skirts, denim t-shirt dresses, lace leggings and bright pops of red with black, white and tweed.

Some of my favorite looks in the show included a gold sequined mini- dress with an equally short beige trench. I also enjoyed the beautifully simple neutral toned draped dresses with bright purple or blue scarves. Tweed was a big hit, and I loved the well-tailored red skinny pants partnered with a black and white shirt and tweed jacket that hit at the waist.

The collection's presentation ended powerfully with a seemingly retro, aviator-inspired style, which featured models in neutral, draped dresses, elegant scarves wrapped around their necks, cat-eye sunglasses, and ear-covering headpieces adorned with flowers.

The overall style in this new collection screamed "effortlessly chic and confident," which appears to be the underlying theme of everyday Italian fashion.

Florence is where “Made in Italy” fashion originated in the 1950’s with the creation of the first annual fashion show at Palazzo Pitti. Italian fashion reigned and eventually moved down to Rome which was teaming with Hollywood actresses filming in Armani or Versace.

In the early 1970’s, the concept of mass production and affordable fashion shifted everyone’s eyes up to Milan which became a hub for pret-a-porter, or “ready to wear.”

They hosted their first fashion week in 1978 with such designers as Missoni, Fendi and Valentino and haven’t looked back since.

Fashion Week is an event that happens once or twice a year, all over the world. The Big Four (New York, Milan, london and Paris) always host two huge shows annually.

Designers showcase their Fall/Winter collections from January through April, and September through November guests get a glimpse at next season’s Spring/Summer trends.

But don’t think that Florence has lost its footing. This city continues to be a trade show hot spot. It was just decided that ModaPrima (a large Italian fashion event held every year) can call Florence home, as it will be hosted at the Stazione leopolda from here on out.

UPCOMING ITALIAN FASHION EVENTS: Oct. 29 - Nov. 6: Ferrara Sposi, Wedding Fair, Fiera di Ferrara Nov. 11-13: UmbriaSposi, wedding show, Umbriafiere Nov. 26-28: ModaPrima 71, trade show exhibition, Stazione leopolda Jan. 14-18: Milan Fashion Week, Men’s 2012/2013 Fall/Winter Collections, Milan For more information on Nenette please go to www.nenette.it. The full fashion show can also be seen on Grazia's YouTube channel at Photo by David Andre Weiss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMIV3Uzj058&feature=relmfu.

Photos courtesy of Megan looney

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OCT-NOV 2011 newsletter 2

Vows to Vintage

By Shakari White, FAST Intern According to the society of fashion, vintage is something that will always be admired. Don’t believe me? Just take a trip around the city of Florence! Vintage shops with different variations of fashion traced back to earlier centuries are on display and flying off the shelves. Retro Vintage on Piazza del Fico 20-22 contributes to the likes of vintage by exposing unique collections of designers outside of the limelight. The atmosphere is inspired by a retro, raunchy, over-the edge décor that supports the name of the store.

Anyone who shops there must dare to be adventurous!

In a more casual concept of vintage, Pitti Vintage on Borgo degli Albizi 72r has the right thing for you. The collections are specialized in European design, and there's even a pug inspired collection for dog lovers! The charming boutique has an aura of 1920's inspired dressing quarters that take you back to your dress up days as a child. looking for contemporary design? Ellio Ferraro Gallery on 47r Via del Parione can surely accommodate you. Its reputation to have

the most amazing arrivals has been keeping this store as the talk of the town. The RSVP list for its customers keeps them inspired to have the latest designs for their collections. Its hip and cosmic atmosphere is suitable for the likes of many!

Florence’s newest addition, FlY Vintage Boutique located on Borgo Pinti 20/r, will also add to the availability of great vintage.

When it comes to the value of vintage, people explore the quality, brand, and of course, the style. FlY Vintage Boutique aims at a quality that many other boutiques may not offer: Fashion that loves You back! Customers can find suitable merchandise that compliments their interests from any era of fashion.

In most cases, vintage stores offer items that remind you of the garments you may have seen Queen Victoria of King Henry wearing in your high school history book. These vintage stores, along with others unmentioned, take on a more marketable approach by presenting vintage in a modernized form. Separate yourself and stand out, yet, look as though you belong in this era.

Take your pick and explore; you never know the love may pronounce for vintage!

FaCes & PLaCes

Faces of Florence

By Alessandro Schneider, second year professional photography student

Photos courtesy of Alessandro Schneider

This issue’s images are of people in places: candid-style! The neighborhood location for both is Piazza Santo Spirito. I adopted an on-the-fly, almost guerilla style approach by entering the locales, taking the shot, and exiting immediately. I didn’t mentally set up the “shot” but tried to capture the individuals as they entered into my field of vision. These two individuals immediately caught my attention for their particular styles; they both seemed like interesting characters. First Image (male): Taken at GustaPanino. The male in the photo is waiting for his sandwich order. Second Image (elderly woman): Taken at Ricchi’s café. The woman wasn’t too happy about her shot and retorted as I quickly exited from the café.

There are many tables to push together if you want to socialize with a group of friends, or enjoy an intimate setting for conversation for two. The evening is fueled with lively music inside the Caffetteria delle Oblate. In addition, there is live music on the

By Lauren Bushman terrace on Thursday nights. Enjoy a drink, such as the popular Aperol Spritz mixed with prosecco, for 8 Euro and receive all of locals and students alike enjoy their evenings at the Biblioteca the tastings of appetizers your heart desires. delle Oblate, the library located across the street from sQuola at Aperitivo begins at 6:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday. Grab a free library via dell'Oriuolo 26. However, they are not there to read or study. A card while you are there and enjoy complimentary internet for convent turned into a modern library, Oblate harbors one of the three hours on your own device as well as a selection of movies best-kept secrets in the aperitivo world. located on the top floor and CD’s. Of course, there are library books too, for when you terrace, the aperitivo is not only comprised of tastings of pastas, actually do go to the library to work on those grades. potatoes, chips, bread, spreads, and quiche, but also boasts an incredible view of the top of the Duomo.

Best kept secret: aperitivo at Biblioteca delle Oblate

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LOCaL & gLOBaL news Providing a sense of Home through Community service

By Olivia Johnson

Community Service. What does it mean? It means getting to play with young children for 4 ½ hours every week according to Ashley Olberding, a community service student at FUA. Ashley volunteers at Canadian Island, a school that teaches English as a second language to young children.

For your community service, you are working in a school with young children. Tell me about that.

I love working with children. At home in Memphis, I volunteered at a children’s hospital for a few years, so coming here and working with children has brought back so many great memories. The children look up to you, and it feels so great knowing that you’re a role model for them.

Why did you choose to work with children instead of being a tour guide or a library assistant?

I love children. I have a little sister at home, so working with kids made me feel closer to her. The other jobs sound great, but my forte is working with children.

Will it be hard for you to leave “your children” when you are done with the semester?

Definitely. The closer you get to people, the harder it is to leave them, especially when you will most likely never see them again.

What do you want to take away from your experience at Canadian Island?

I definitely think I’ll take home many great memories and a lot of experience in working with children. I feel as though I’ll be more enriched and more in touch with a different culture by working here.

gelato and graffiti

By Mary Gaule

A couple of weeks ago, my roommates and I eagerly rose before dawn to take a day trip to Cinque Terre. We couldn't wait to explore one of the many stops on our quest to experience the "real Italy".

Fast-forward five hours and our trip, along with our anticipation, had been forced to a stand-still. A strike had stopped our final train to Cinque Terre.

This wasn't the first time politics had interfered with my study abroad experience. In fact, the very first day of school, the noise made by a rally protesting newly enforced taxes by the premier forced my class to switch classrooms. What struck me even more than the cacophony outside was my teacher's reaction to the protest. "Being an Italian I wish I was out there," she told us.

Before returning home from "almost-Cinque Terre", I felt it was about time questions were asked.

Interestingly, our two young tour guides were from opposite ends of the political spectrum. We were able to get two opinions about Silvio Berlusconi, the current Italian premier, and the topic of this debate. One of the men argued that the conservative politician should be admired for being a self-made man, that there is nothing wrong in being proud in what you have earned for yourself. The other man's opinion was that of most Italians I have asked: that Berlusconi is a corrupt man who is an embarrassment to Italy and whose days should be numbered.

Although I don't feel educated enough to form an opinion of Berlusconi myself, my friends and I can no longer claim that what is going on in Italy has nothing to do with us. From the moment we stepped off the plane, it had something to do with us. To experience the real Italy that we yearn for, it is important to know what makes its inhabitants tick. What pleases them in life, as well as what angers them enough to protest. Feel free to enjoy the world-famous gelato, but don't ignore the graffiti screaming off the beautiful Florentine walls.

FaCULTY news Faculty spotlight: andrea Morganti

By Olivia Johnson Andrea Morganti, professor of Human Resource Management at Florence University of the Arts, is way more than just a professor. He is also a full-time student, worker at Coopertiva for special needs, and an avid soccer fan.

Andrea, how long have you been teaching here at FUA and what are you currently teaching?

I have been teaching for one year and a half. One of my teachers told me that FUA was looking for a teacher for Human Resource Management and that he thought of me because of my degree and my English. I started teaching May 2010. It was a summer session, so I taught class every day. I then taught the Fall and Spring sessions, skipped Summer 2011, and am teaching this Fall.

I only teach Human Resource Management now, but I hope to add another class once my work schedule slows down.

What is your favorite thing about teaching?

To sit with the students and try to transfer something to them. I don't like to be called a professor because I learn from the students too. For example, if you get change for 10 euro and one

person gets a 10 euro bill and the other gets two 5 euro bills, you each leave with the same thing. In teaching, you go away with two ideas: one from yourself and one from the students. It's a growth for both. I think school is one of the most important things in life, ya know? It's like an exchange between students and teacher, especially with my subject because you speak a lot about people. I'm a little egoistic, so I feel useful to them.

You are not a professor that stands up and lectures the class for two hours like many others professors. Why not?

I think it's boring and not useful. If it's only a one-way communication, you lose people- even after 5 minutes... if it's interesting! I also think it's too easy for the students to just sit and listen. I am a student, so I know, I understand. If you are watching TV, each scene changes every 2-3 seconds. Teachers need to do that. One of my favorite sayings is, “If you say, you will forget; if you do, you will remember.” I try to teach thinking of that. I like to introduce the topic, and then give the students a case study where they can act out the roles themselves.

What other activities are you involved in professionally?

Most of my time, like 90%, is spent in banks such as the Bank of Florence. I also take training and development courses for industrial companies. On the days I'm not teaching, I am in classes all day. I start at 8:30 in the morning and get done at 5:00.

I'm a busy person. I also work with special needs at Coopertiva

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about eight hours a week.

If a student wanted to welcome more involved in the community, what do you suggest they do?

Start to speak Italian. Put yourself in a situation where you have to. You will be surprised what you know. Also, stay with Italians (or non-Americans) if you can. It's good to see Florence in a different way. When I studied abroad in Barcelona, I lived with eight guys in one apartment; I was the only Italian. It made me realize my Florentine values more, but also changed my perspective on life as well. Students here should try to get that feeling, too. Also, if you have a hobby, follow it here. Just go out and follow it!

You're a soccer fan. What are the top games students should

see? And most importantly, will Fiorentina beat Cesena next week?

The best game is when we win. (laughs) The number one game I would see is Fiorentina vs. Juventus. They are our biggest enemy; Fiorentina hate Juventus supporters. It is a big big rivalry that has gone on for 30 years. Fiorentina will be playing at Juventus, but on October 26, go to the bar/restaurant and watch it on TV. It will be crazy! I would also recommend seeing Fiorentina vs. Inter-Milan on November 20 or Roma on December 4. I don't know if we will win. We have to be very careful about Mutu Adrian. He is an ex-Fiorentina; a fantastic player. Usually, the ex-players always make the goals against us, so we must watch out for him.

DO’s anD DOn’Ts

By Lauren Bushman Do: Plan your own day trip to lucca and use multiple modes of transportation - the best way to get around once you’ve enjoyed the train ride in is to rent a bike for 3 Euro/hour.

Do: Talk to the man at the tabacchi when buying stamps, even in broken Italian.

Do: Check out the audio guides at the Uffizi so you don’t get lost in the tour groups and miss the best paintings.

Do: Enjoy the view from the Piazzale Michelangelo at noon, dusk, and night. Hit all three for the best picture collage.

Do: Ask to sample that gelato you’ve been thinking about before actually committing to it.

Don’t: Overpay for a cappuccino - on a student budget it is possible to find a quality hot drink for 0.90 to 2 Euro. Get out of the touristy areas and cross the river to find better prices and drink twice as much for the same amount!

Don’t: Shop at over-priced grocery stores when you could go enjoy the fresh air and even fresher produce at Sant’ Ambrogio or San lorenzo market. Make sure to stop by the dried fruit section for fruit that will last twice as long.

Don’t: Keep your bathroom musty and breed mosquitos - open your window and enjoy the Firenze breeze.

Don’t: Feel like you have to stay at the museums for hours and hours because you paid an entrance fee. Invest in a student museum pass at the front desk in DIVA (25 Euro) and allow yourself to see the sites, if only for an hour, or study in a quiet space.

iT’s O.k. iF YOU...

By Megan Looney … don’t associate yourself with “those tourists” after living here for only one week. … consider your daily exercise walking to class. … are intimidated (and a little frightened) to order meat in the open markets. … find the “ciao bella’s” to be an ego-boost sometimes. … buy the wrong thing alla farmacia because you’re tired of asking for help with the labels. … still get lost. … still only know how to cook pasta. … wondered why people said “prego” to let you go first. (It also means “after you”) … still don’t understand how Italian women walk on cobblestones in 4” inch heels. … don’t ever want to leave.

sTUDenT serViCes student spotlight: Brianna Bond

By Lindsay La Marca The student body of FUA has a new fellow student, Brianna Bond, to thank her for all of her support, dedication and volunteering that she has given to the school. Brianna is a certified yoga instructor and has recently volunteered to teach different yoga classes throughout the week. I recently sat down with Brianna to take a further look into how yoga affects her life and any advice she might have for others.

Q: When did you get into yoga?

A: I started in high school when I had gotten injured from playing sports. My mom had suggested it to me, and I found it calming.

Q: What made you want to become a yoga instructor? When did you become officially certified?

A: I became an instructor because I wanted to learn more about

the art of yoga and I have always enjoyed teaching people. I became officially certified in January 2010.

Q: What advice would you give to people interested in starting yoga?

A: In general, it is good to try different styles. It has become very westernized and now there are lots of styles. Yoga can be anything from very calming to very aggressive. It is so important to try more than one kind of yoga and, like anything, you have to be patient and keep an open mind.

For those students staying longer than the Fall 2011 semester, be on the lookout for the FAB club coming next semester which will introduce not only yoga classes but a safe haven from the chaos of studying abroad. According to Brianna, who studied abroad as

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an undergrad, “[She] knows how hectic studying abroad can be. It will offer space for people that would give them a break from all the immersion. A safe space where people can gather and share recipes, goals, settling in issues and learn how they can help each other adjust.”

"Feedback from former students confirmed that they wanted to maintain a healthy lifestyle while studying in Italy. They also wanted to have fun and make new friends. Hence, the creation of the FAB Club! We're extrememly excited about implementing this new avenue for bring students together in the Spring," Kandace Phyall, Student life Manager.

Creating independence in Florence

By Lindsay La Marca Upon our arrival to Florence, we were all anxious about many things: classes, professors, settling into a new community.

For me, it was most certainly our new roommates and apartments. What would our roommates be like? Would we all get along? How big or small was our apartment? Would it be what we were expecting?

Well, I can honestly say the roommate situation worked out for the best. I love my roommates and would not trade them for the world. While I certainly cannot complain about our apartment, I can, however, say it was not what I was expecting. The European style of our apartments should

not have been a shock to me, but for some reason it was.

There are many things that would have been available to me back at home that are rare here in Europe, like household appliances for example. These items may be less common for many reasons; for starters, European houses and cities are centuries older than those in the United States. Therefore, it is harder to wire or reconstruct the houses and apartments for things like air conditioning that our more modern US homes may have. However, modern does not necessarily mean better.

I, for one, would never be able to find the rich history in my hometown. Another positive for having historical homes is that it is so much more environmentally friendly.

One upside to our apartment is the fact that we are totally alone. Whether you commute from your home or live at a university dorm, this is an entirely different experience for us because there are no

Resident Assistants (R.A’s), parents, siblings or maybe even grandparents that you see on the daily at home. When asked to compare living in apartments with living in dorms, Sam Kolesnik responded by saying, "I definitely prefer apartments to the school dorms because you just have so much more freedom living in an apartment."

This really gives us the opportunity to become one with the Florentine community because we are living amongst native Italians. In addition, we are not sheltered in the normal university life but actually living in a famous city that offers incredible amounts of art and architecture everywhere we turn. We also have our own kitchen, which may be new for many of us. This means trying to figure out what to make for dinner every day because the same dishes get boring after a while.

Coming to Florence definitely made me more independent .

ganzO news Thursday November 10: SANTA CRISTINA NIGHT Paul Salmeri, Ganzo's Sous Chef and author of the Santa Cristina recipe blog, and the Master students of Apicius will bring to the table his creations which are inspired to compliment one of Antinori's best known wines.

Monday November 14: WINE CLUB Wine Club is an opportunity to taste some of Italy’s highest quality wines in a fun, friendly and social atmosphere. This week's theme: From the Town of Romeo and Juliet: the lovely Amarone.

Wednesday November 16: AperiArt Antonia Barbarossa Nouvelle Flâneurs (meaning “contemporary urban studies”)

Impressionist. This exhibit by Antonia Barbarossa presents not only visions of the city but most importantly the loneliness of its inhabitants rendered by the materials and colors, mostly shades of gray, used in the artworks. The city is everywhere, even if not present in the work it manifests itself through its inhabitants. This exhibit will be opened by Dott. Marco Borri, ex-director of Specola dell’Università di Firenze.

Ganzo is proud to present a special menu

by Apicius Alumni Shaul Paloge. Chef Paloge's menu is not only about the culinary traditions of his native Israel, but also reflects the project Chefs for Peace, which promotes integration between Arab and Hebrew cultures through cuisine.

Come take part is this unique culinary event that will both open your mind and excite your palate.

Thursday November 17: CUCINA REGIONALE: PIEMONTE

Wednesday November 23, 6:00 pm: Aperiganzo

Piedmont’s long history of both noble and traditional cuisine lends itself to some of most delectable creations in Italian gastronomy. Experience the best of this hybrid cuisine on our night dedicated to the culinary delicacies of Piedmont.

Join us for an exceptional aperitivo buffet full of international and Italian flavors prepared by the Culinary students from Apicius, cocktails, and a selection of extraordinary wines at the Apicius wine corner. This week features wines from the Southern Italian producer Mastro Berardino: Fiano di Avellino, Greco di tufo,and Taurasi

The title comes from Painters of Modern Times by Charles Baudelaire, which discusses the way of life during

Saturday, November 19, 8:45 pm: culture beyond borders: food for peace

Blending Newsletter Supplemento di Blending Magazine Reg. Trib. di Firenze n° 5844 del 29 luglio 2011 Anno I - Numero 2 - Novembre 2011

Redazione Corso Tintori 21, 50121 Firenze Tel. 055-0332745

Editore Florence Campus per INGORDA Editore Via Alfonso la Marmora 39, 50121 Firenze

Blending Masthead Editor-in-Chief Matteo Brogi, Senior Editor Grace Joh, Copy Editing Olivia Johnson and Rebecca Valpy

Stampato in proprio

Blending is a monthly newsletter created with and for Palazzi FAIE students, in collaboration with the Student Services department of Palazzi.

For information contact grace.joh@palazziflorence.com Newsletters can be viewed at www.florencecampus.it/newsletters

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