Archive for August, 2011

Artist Jannis Kounellis in Cortona.

Since 2001 a special Cortonantiquaria Prize is given every year, during the fair, to important personalities, from artist to entrepreneurs.

This year it has been awarded to Jannis Kounellis, famous Greek sculptor and painter, who has been working and living in Italy for so long now that he’s considered one of the most “Italian” amongst contemporary artists.

The gala ceremony during which the prize will be given to Kounellis will take place tonight at 9.45 pm in Sant’Agostino Auditorium in Cortona.

Jannis Kounellis

Kounellis is currently working at a special site-specific project for the Cortonantiquaria
exhibition,a work of art he wants to donate to our beautiful precious town.
The work will be formed by old and antique wooden furniture.

“Wood, furniture are the pivot of the antique.
Wooden furniture are like old coats, that have smells, colours and unique and unrepeatable shapes.
I want to render homage to these old wooden coats, recuperating their deep soul, sinking into wood and shape” says Kounellis.

Check pictures of the artist working on the project HERE.

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Antiques Show in Cortona!

Cortona is definitively a “she”, and as many little misses, I’d say she likes to show off quite a lot.

She enjoys showing off her artists, her food, her looks, her sounds, her people…
all her treasures. But she also likes showing off other countries’ or town’s belongings! In fact since 1963 Cortona hosts a national antiques exhibition, for two weeks every summer at the end of August, named “Cortonantiquaria”. It is renowned as one of the most prestigious antiques fairs at national and international level.

This year the official opening was last Friday, 26th of August, and the show will end on the 11th of September.

The beautiful 18th century halls of Palazzo Vagnotti, one of the many great buildings of Cortona, treasures more than a thousand pieces of antique furniture and collectable art objects, displayed by 38 exhibiters from all over Italy, but also Spain and the Republic of San Marino. Paintings, sculptures, jewels, carpets, engravings, earthenware, silver and bronzes, prints, weapons and much more, accurately selected and certified.

This year you can also find iconic dresses from Italian and French, 50’s and 60’s, fashion created by designers such as Elsa Schiapparelli, Pierre Cardin, Courrègés, especially for stars like Grace Kelly e Audrey Hepburn or even figures like Wallis Simpson. So, once again Cortona becomes an explosion of “Bella Vita” thanks to the related surplus of social events, wine and food tasting which accompany the two weeks of the show.

The exhibition is open from 10 am to 1 pm and 3 to 8 pm from Monday to Friday.
10 am to 8 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Ticket price: 8 euros.

Palazzo Vagnotti is in Piazza G.Franciolini.

You can simply enjoy a pleasant tour amongst treasures or if you’re a collector you can find the (antique) love of your life, buy it and take it home with you!

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Cortona and local food festivals.

I’m sure that if you are in Italy right now you’ve already noticed quite a number of posters bearing the word “SAGRA”…

It indicates a traditional gastronomical town festival, often dedicated to some specific local food, and the name itself of the sagra includes that food.
Remember some posts ago?
“La sagra della bistecca”… the beef steak festival.

You can find any kind of festival!
From the watermelon one to the frog one,
from the “Sagra della pizza” to the “Sagra della castagna”
(the chestnut festival).

It depends on the time of the year.
It can last from one to several days and usually local people cook whole meals including many other delicious products (obviously!)
Great traditional recipes and very good prices.

The word “sagra” comes from the Latin “sacrum” which means “sacred”, in fact, in ancient times, all year round, various harvesting occasions were celebrated by religious feasts to thank divinities for the crops. For this reason they were held in front of temples or churches.

In Cortona the local Sagre (plural) are held in the park, the “Parterre” gardens.

Tomorrow and Saturday evening? La “Sagra del fungo porcino”!
The 22nd edition of the porcini mushroom  festival… delicious: amazing dishes made with porcini from the rich mountains surrounding Cortona.

Any events tonight?

Yes! The opening of the 8th edition of the European festival of folk music and dances.
No food… but very good entertainment!

Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica, 9.30 pm

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Colin Firth in Cortona!

What happens when you are enjoying your dinner a little too much, on Friday night, in Piazza Signorelli, Cortona?

You don’t notice Oscar winning actor Colin Firth taking a stroll in the square.

Colin Firth in Piazza Signorelli

I was too much into good food, good wine and good friends to take any notice!

I’ve only just discovered, Colin Firth had just been to see Greta Scacchi’s performance for the Tuscan Sun Festival, at Teatro Signorelli.

Apparently I missed both!

Lucia

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Star gazing and wine tasting in Montepulciano.

Posted on: by Lucia 1 Comment

Every year, on the 10th of august, at night, Italians raise their heads to the sky and look for falling stars.

In Italy it’s Saint Lawrence’s night, “la notte di San Lorenzo”.
Usually shooting stars are visible more on this day  than at any other time of the year because Perseus’ constellation is passing through our planet’s orbit.
The meteor shower is explained in a much more poetic way by Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom.
Falling stars would be his tears descending on earth on the day of his death, creating a magic and hopeful atmosphere.
So if you hope for a special wish to come true you should pronounce these words, when you spot a falling star: “Star, my beautiful star, I wish for…..”
“Stella, mia bella stella, desidero che…..”

I recommend, on this occasion, Montepulciano’s main summer event: “Calici di stelle”.

Montepulciano

(does “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” ring any bell? )
“Star Chalices”.
A wine and food tour through the town’s quarters, accompanied by art performances and music!
Only twenty minutes from Cortona!

The complete programme is HERE.

Calici di stelle

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Beef steak festival in Cortona!

Have you ever come across the Italian word “Ferragosto”?
It refers to a special holiday instituted by the roman emperor Ottaviano Augusto (18th century b.C.); in fact “Ferragosto” comes from the Latin “Feriae Augusti” which simply meant “Augusto’s rest”.
It also happens to coincide with the Catholic event of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
So: double celebration!!
In Cortona we celebrate it by eating grilled beef steak …(!?)

The grill!

From every home, garden or restaurant there will be delicious smell of fresh meat cooked in the simplest but best of ways!…for me at least!

If you happen to be around Cortona at this time of the year you’d better not miss the famous “SAGRA DELLA BISTECCA”, the Beef steak festival! This year it will be at its 51st edition.

In our beautiful 19th century park, the Parterre, will be a 14 meters long grill! An enormous barbecue surrounded by our local men, in aprons, holding very long forks cooking T-Bone steaks, sausages and spare-ribs. All these you can taste along with Chianti wine, local cheeses and more …on the 14th and 15th of August!

Deeeelish!

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