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ItalianScotland | |||||
ITALIAN SCOTLAND IS THE WEBSITE OF THE COCAIS & THE COMITES |
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Welcome to the February edition of the ItalianScotland Newsletter
MILANCLUB SCOZIA If you have a soft spot for AC Milan, then join the club …that is the newly-formed Milan Club Scozia. Their next event is scheduled for Wednesday February 18th as the Rossoneri take on Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup. A special serata has been arranged for club members and those interested in joining at the Butterfly & Pig Restaurant,153 Bath Street, Glasgow. For £10, host, Cav. Michele Pagliocca will lay on food, a glass of wine and a big screen showing live coverage of the match. To find out more, or to book a place, please contact Club President, Michael Lemetti on 07903133875 or email him on mikelemetti@yahoo.co.uk To spread the word in Scotland, a new website has been launched. Click here to visit it: www.milanclubscozia.com There you can catch up on the fixture list and results, see what’s happening for rossoneri fans in Scotland and get a sneak preview of the new AC Milan tartan! Don’t miss it! SCOTLAND V ITALY In case you hadn’t noticed the big match between Scotland and Italy is just days away … the big rugby match that is! Scotland Rugby Team will be playing Italy as part of their RBS Six Nations campaign on the 28th of February at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh.
TASTE OF TUSCANY EVENING Top tuscan chef, Dante Simoncini will be visiting Scotland this month. The Lucchesi Nel Mondo have secured a special night to meet the great man and hear some of his top tips about Italian Cuisine. Tickets cost only £10 and include a hot and cold buffet and a glass of wine. All funds raised will be donated to the Italian Cloister Fund Appeal. Places are limited, so please secure your places by contacting:
FESTA DELLA TERZA ETA’ This first event of its type to be organised by the CoCAIS has proved an enormous success and has sold out a month ahead. It is planned to stage further similar events at regular intervals throughout the year aimed at the older age group. A reminder for those who have booked places, the event will take place at Bacco Italia Restaurant in Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow on March 1st from 2-6pm. Watch this space for more details of the next event of its type. ITALIAN CLOISTER GARDEN APPEAL A major boost this month to the Italian Garden appeal came thanks to the hard work and commitment of the Cecchini family in Troon. They organised a special fund raising night in Ayr Town Hall with the Mayor of Barga, Umberto Sereni and Archbishop Conti as guests. The night raised almost £10,000 for the appeal – the highest donation of its type so far including a £1500 donation from the Scottish Italian Community Fund. Thanks are due to all who helped, those who donated prizes, and who gave of their time and skills free of charge. At the event the Mayor was presented with the Archdiocesan Medal by Archbishop Conti in recognition of his work to promote links with the Archdiocese. Presentations were also made to mark Sindaco Sereni’s tireless work on behalf of the Lord Provost of Glasgow, the Consulate of Italy and the First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP. The appeal remains very much open. This month application has been made to a bank foundation in Lucca which we hope will boost the fund considerably. To make a donation and, if you wish, to commemorate a loved one in the garden, please contact Cav Ronnie Convery at ronnie.convery@rcag.org.uk or visit the website www.italiancloister.org.uk
ART OF ITALY EXHIBITION Time is running short if you haven’t yet seen the masterpieces in the Art of Italy Exhibition at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. The drama of the Baroque comes north in this show which focuses on the 17th century. Among the masterpieces on show are The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew, recently revealed as an original work by the Italian master Caravaggio. Other highlights include Carracci’s Allegory of Truth and Time, Gentileschi’s Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, Allori’s Judith with the Head of Holofernes and drawings by Guido Reni, Guercino and Bernini. The exhibition runs until March 8th and The Queen's Gallery is open daily ITALIAN CUISINE WEEK IN SCOTLAND This special week dedicated to the delights of Italian food with the emphasis on Piedmont is being run by the Italian Cultural Institute from February 2-7. A great programme of events has been lined up … though the organisers take no responsibility for extra inches added to waistlines as a result of attendance! The event takes place on Tuesday 3 February 2009 at 6.00pm at Italian Cultural Institue, Edinburgh, 82 Nicolson Street. The line up includes:
Free event but booking essential: rsvp.iicedimburgo@esteri.it MORE FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD … Still on a culinary theme, next month sees the visit to Scotland of another celebrated Italian chef. On Sunday 1 March 2009 at Fratelli Sarti, Wellington Street, Dante Simoncini, proprietor of the Hotel Torretta in Montecatini www.hoteltorretta.it/en_benvenuti.html and his chef are preparing a typical meal from Montecatini. Fratelli Sarti has a strong connection with the Hotel Torretta as they have used the hotel as a base for several of their wine trips The price is £65.00 per head and includes wine to accompany the meal, wine which will be selected by Dante to compliment his food. This is sure to be a sellout evening so please book quickly by calling Wellington Street on 0141 248 2228. SCOTS ITALIAN TV DOCUMENTARY Over the last year a film crew from BBC Scotland’s Gaelic department have been filming the life of the Scots Italian community, culminating in the Scampagnata at Alva last June. The final documentary will be shown on BBC Alba (satellite channel) on Tuesday 3 March at 9 pm. Be sure to tune in and see a few familiar faces! MESSAGGERO DI SANT’ANTONIO One of Italy’s best loved magazines is available in English and now also has a special edition aimed at Italian speakers living outside Italy. Produced by the Franciscans in Padua, the magazine carries news of Italian communities round the world and recently focused on Scotland. … “La Scozia si tinge di tricolore!” The magazine can be sent (or perhaps a gift subscription for a relative purchased) for £18 per year. For more information click on the following links – it would make the ideal gift for someone who has everything, and all money raised goes to Franciscan charities. For the English language edition: www.saintanthonyofpadua.net/portale/home.asp For the Italiani all’Estero edition: www.messaggerosantantonio.it/messaggero_emi/home.asp INTERNET PILGRIMAGE Still on the theme of St Anthony, it is now possible to leave your special intentions at the tomb of the saint in Padua without leaving your own home. The Friars have created an internet service which allows you to write your prayer request or special intention on a form, email it to Italy, where it will then be printed and left at the saint’s shrine. For more information click: www.carosantantonio.it/ing/home.asp AUGURI LEANDRO! The Comune of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Lucca has honoured Cavaliere Avv. Leandro Franchi with a special award in recognition of his business efforts and talents abroad. This award was created in order to give recognition to the important link which unites Castelnuovo with all their citizens who now live abroad. Every year a person will be chosen from the AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all‘Estero) database who, in living abroad has promoted Castelnuovo. Leandro is the first recipient of the new award which was made for his important role as Honorary Italian Consul for Glasgow and surrounding areas, and for his dedication in his profession as a solicitor in Glasgow. His efforts in strengthening the link between Castelnuovo and the Italian/Scottish community were also recognised. The presentation took place on 23rd December 2008 in the Sala Consiliare della Rocca Ariostesca in Castelnuovo. All of Leandro’s family and many friends attended. Many congratulations! AUGURI PAUL! Paul Verrico has been elected the new president of the CoCAIS – the federation of Italian Associations in Scotland. Paul previously serves as treasurer of the association and takes over from Cav Irene Vannucci who we wish to thank for her years of service to the Italo-Scots community. Silvia Strommer remains in post as the Vice President, Ronnie Convery as Secretary and the new treasurer is Angela Pieraccini. SANREMO IS BACK! If it’s February, it must be time for Sanremo! Italy’s favourite song festival takes to the stage and screen on Rai Uno (viewable in Scotland with a satellite dish) from Tuesday February 17th to Saturday February 21st. Once more this year many of the great names from Italian popular music will be battling it out. Here’s a preview of the runners and riders …
SCUOLA ITALIANA ANNUAL DINNER The Annual Italian Buffet Dance for the Scuola Italiana (Paisley) Funds will be held at Hawkhead Bowling Club at Lanfine Rd. Paisley on Saturday 2 May 2009. As the organisers are tied to 100 guests only, tickets will be at a premium, in fact most tickets have already been snapped up. For final bookings please contact Luigi Pierotti on 0141 561 7156 ETHICAL FASHION CONFERENCE Milan, 7th – 8th May 2009, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Ethical fashion is a growing phenomenon. An increasing number of consumers are very sensitive to the ethical aspects of the clothes they wear, as they consider respect for the environment and workers’ rights as imperative standards in their choices. In response to this new climate the fashion industry has reacted by proposing “ethical” clothes and accessories. The conference is ken to hear from Scots as well as Italians and intends to offer a site for debate on the often contradictory issues that characterize this new phenomenon. Among the issues to be discussed are: environmental sustainability; fashion and globalization; ethics as a new marketing tool; the communication of ethical fashion and second-hand fashion. For further information please contact: SEGRETERIA ORGANIZZATIVA Centro per lo studio della moda e della produzione culturale L.go Gemelli 1, Lotto 3, quarto piano, 20123, Milano tel.:0039-2-7234.2505 PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION The Association "Orizzonte Cultura" in partnership with the Council of Quarrata and the Province of Pistoia is organising the third edition of the "Immagini" photography competition. The special prizes "Tiziano Terzani" and "O.C. International" will be awarded respectively to the photograph which best expresses the concept of love for nature and to the NEAPOLITAN SONGS If you are a fan of the great Neapolitan musical tradition of O Sole Mio, Torna a Surriento, Marechiare, Santa Lucia and all the rest, then read on. The Archivio Storico della Canzone Napoletana is a project sponsored by Italian state broadcasters RAI, in collaboration with the Campania Region, the Province of Naples and the City of Naples, with the aim of collecting, documenting and digitalising all the available examples of Neapolitan musical repertoires and putting them at the disposal of the public. From Enrico Caruso onwards why not dip into an itinerary which includes Peppino Di Capri and Pino Daniele, Nino D'Angelo and Gigi D'Alessio... But also Elvis Presley and Paul Mc Cartney, Mireille Mathieu and Charles Aznavour, Frank Sinatra and Frank Zappa. Check out the hidden treasures of this timeless music at: www.radio.rai.it/canzonenapoletana_eng/view_last.cfm?Q_PROG_ID=659&Q_TIP_ID=1050 ITALIANSCOTLAND WEBSITE The site has had many thousands of visitors since its launch last spring and for £50 annually, companies can sponsor an advert linking to their own website. Already many have made use of this option to put their company under the eye of Italian Scotland. For more details contact the President of the CoCAIS Paul Verrico at paul.verrico@cosmoceramics.co.uk ALLA PROSSIMA That’s it for now. Do let us have details of eny events you are staging in and around Italian Scotland or of any news that will be of interest to all who love Italy. Items for inclusion should be sent to Ronnie.convery@rcag.org.uk
FESTA ITALIANA The most significant event so far in the fund raising campaign to build an Italian Garden next to St Andrew’s Cathedral Glasgow, takes place on Sunday February 1 at Ayr Town Hall. The Family Festa Italiana is a great opportunity to enjoy a fine Italian meal courtesy of Aldo Cecchini and family of Cecchini’s restaurants, listen and dance to the music of Angela and Paolo and win fantastic prizes in the grand raffle and auction. Tickets are just £15 per adult and £10 per child and tables can be booked for family or friendship groups. The event runs from 4.30pm – 11pm and car parking is available at the venue. The low ticket price is aimed at encouraging as many as possible to come along. Archbishop Conti will speak on the night about plans for the Cathedral Italian Garden and the Mayor of Barga, Umberto Sereni will be the guest of honour in his last visit to Scotland as mayor. Tickets are going fast. To secure your places contact Mary McMahon at the Archdiocese on 0141 226 5898 or staff at Cecchinis on 01292 263607 or 01294 471700. FESTA DELLA TERZA ETA' The planned Festa della Terza Eta’ organised by the CoCAIS has proved highly successful. Just a very small number of tickets remain. This will be the first of what we hope will be a series of seasonal lunches hosted by different restaurants for the senior members of the community (65 and over, though no-one will be checking the passports!) Sponsorship for this first event brings the cost down to just £5 per head for a full three course Italian lunch. The first lunch will be on Sunday March 1st 2-6pm at Bacco Italia, Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow. To inquire about last-minute bookings for the final remaining places contact Cav Adriano De Marco on 07860 415 943. ITALIANSCOTLAND WEBSITE Please bookmark this website to find out all the latest information on what is happening in Scotland of interest to the Italian community and all lovers of Italy. There you can also upload your pictures, leave announcements, get useful information, promote your event or advertise your business. The cost of sponsorship is a very reasonable £50 per year. Welcome this month to our newest site sponsors, Cacao Chocolate, Bella Napoli Restaurant and Caledonian Lock and Safe Company. ITALIAN LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITIES Glasgow University’s Department of Adult and Continuing Education is starting new 10 week language courses this month. Limited places are still available on the following courses: Italian Stage 1 twice/week, Thursdays and Mondays from 12th January Italian Stage 2 twice/week, Thursdays and Mondays from 12th January Telephone enrolments 0141 330 1860. Full course details at www.gla.ac.uk/adulteducation/languages After Easter 2009 there will also be a new programme of 6 week revision classes and 'tourist' classes. Details will be available from late February. ITALIAN LANGUAGE MEET-UPS If you're looking to practise your language skills and meet up with others who have an interest in learning and speaking Italian then there are a number of language meet-up groups in Glasgow - all free! Go to : BBC WEBSITE TEACHES ITALIAN A fantastic new resource is now available from the BBC’s internet platform. “Steps” is a 12 week teach-yourself Italian course which can be accessed free at the time and level of your choosing. You can check your level of competence and start improving straight away – everything from 10 useful words of Italian to how to use the imperfect subjunctive (ouch!). Find our more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/ IPOD LEARNING If you got a new iPod for Christmas why not put it to good use by downloading some podcasts and learning Italian while you walk to work! Check out 'Radiolingua' http://www.radiolingua.com for free podcasts in Italian as well as any number of other languages. ITALIAN COOKERY COURSE Itri Restaurant in Edinburgh is offering a unique and exciting opportunity to learn what it is that makes Italian food so special and so popular. This course will give you the basic skills and knowledge needed to master Italian cooking. You will learn how professional Italian chefs choose ingredients and how they use those ingredients to prepare food considered the best in the world. The course is based on five weekly lessons by Chef Antonio Soscia and two by Guest Chef Anna Fasanella. Each lesson lasts for around three hours and revolves around a particular style of dish, with the first lesson giving a broad overview of the skills needed throughout the course. Set in an informal and friendly atmosphere in the restaurant kitchens, each lesson will provide plenty of opportunity for questions. And, of course, each lesson ends with a session tasting the delicious food that you have made. From Monday 12th January to Monday 23rd February 2009 Mondays: 5.30 pm – 8.30 pm. Total Price £100. For further information and enrolment please contact: ITRI RESTAURANT, 169-173 Gilmore Place, Edinburgh Tel 0131 - 228 3115 or email: BURNS/PASCOLI NIGHT If you fancy mixing the best of Italian and Scottish culture – this is an evening for you. Organised by the Club CUORI Cardosini, the Burns Supper with a difference will take place on Saturday 24th January at the Barr Castle Social Club, Henrietta Street, Galston in Ayrshire. 7pm start for the four course meal, dance and poetry readings – music provided by Paolo. For more information contact Cav Irene Vannucci at irene.vannucci@hotmail.com CLUB CUORI ANNIVERSARY This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Club CUORI Cardosini. They would like to hold a photographic exhibition of the members and functions over the years. If you can help please contact Irene Vannucci (details above). The Anniversary celebration will take place at the South Beach Hotel in Troon on March 20 2009. More details nearer the time.
"UNA GENERAZIONE IN FUGA" - SHORT FILM COMPETITION The aim of the competition is to produce short films which will explain what it is that encourages young Italians to go abroad, either for short working stays or permanently, and to explore the role Italy continues to play in their lives. The competition is open to all young Italians (aged 30 and under) living outside Italy and is being supported by Italian Cultural Institutes and universities worldwide. The videos will be judged by a professional panel and will be shown publicly. Two prizes will be offered to the winners. Closing date for entries is March 2nd. For more info please visit the following site: http://iltamarindo.net SCOTTISH ITALIAN GOLFERS - DINNER DANCE The Scottish Italian Golfers Society is hosting a dance on Wednesday 4th February 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (the former Moat House on the banks of the Clyde) The event kicks off at 7 for 7.30pm. Tickets priced @ £45.00 each for a 4 course dinner and entertainment and dance are available from Eric Santi on 07749 609 949 or santieric@yahoo.com or Marco Di Meo 07971 972220. The entrance price includes raffle entry with prestigious prizes. Entertainment will be provided by the ever popular Dean Park and a reduced room rate of £90 B&B per double room is available to patrons. CARNEVALE Christmas is just over and already Lent is on the horizon … but not before Carnevale! A couple of events are scheduled to allow Italian Scotland to breeze into the season of penance with a bit of fun. First up is a Carnevale Buffet night organized by La Ciociara on Sunday 22nd February at Stirling County Rugby Club, Bridgehaugh Park, Causewayhead Road , Stirling. Live music supplied by Angela & Paolo. Tickets cost £20 per adults , £15 for under 12's. There will be a hot and cold buffet and fancy dress is optional. Time: 7 for 7.30pm. For tickets call 01786 451552 or email tony.demarco@ntlworld.com, or call in person at La Ciociara, 41 Friars Street , Stirling.
SPECIAL CARNIVAL OFFER On the last night of Carnevale – Shrove Tuesday 24th February – there is a special Carnival celebration at Bacco Restaurant in Shawlands, Glasgow. For £16.95 diners can enjoy a special Carnival four course meal … however readers of ItalianScotland and users of the ItalianScotland website can take advantage of a special price of £12.95. Just contact the restaurant to make your booking and mention that you have want to take advantage of the ItalianScotland offer. Call 0845 2267031. Bacco Italia can also be contacted through the link on our homepage www.italianscotland.com NEW SCOTS-ITALIAN NOVEL A new novel has just been published which is likely to be of great interest to Italian Scotland. The novel by Glasgow/Filignano man Lino Coia is set in Scotland in the 1970s and is about a young Italian immigrant who is educated and grows up in Edinburgh. He marries an Irish-English girl and is pursued by his own ancestral background. Reading is intended to be fast, easy and enjoyable. The book is entitled La Curva del Diavolo – the Devil’s Bend. Readers of Italian Scotland can take advantage of a special offer price of £6.50 - plus P&P (£1.50 in UK, £2 in Europe, £4 elsewhere). Please contact Lino Coia, 10 Carment Drive, G41 3PP - Telephone 0141 632 6663 or lino.coia@yahoo.co.uk GRAZE MILLE! The inaugural CoCAIS Befana event was a soar away success – so much so that plans are already being made for next year’s event! Almost 100 children pre-registered for the event at Scotland Street School Museum in Glasgow, met the Befana, received a gift bag with a gift appropriate to their age and gender, a selection box of sweets, a Befana colouring book (produced by Silvia Strommer) and colouring pencils . While the children were entertained by a DJ and a clown, played party games and caught up with friends and relatives, the adults enjoyed a brindisi and a splendid buffet. We would like to thank Adriano De Marco, Paul Verrico, Ronnie Convery, Silvia Strommer and Sandro Sarti of the CoCAIS committee for many hours of preparatory work and helping make it all happen on the day! Thanks also to the COMITES and the CoCAIS for subsidising the cost of the event – keeping the cost down to just £5 per child; to Italian Language schools - Luigi Pierotti, Evelina Renucci and Louise Biagini for their support and advice Thanks to La Befana herself (also known as Fiona Macdonald!) to Shafer Entertainment for providing the DJ Willie & Cheeko the Clown (Tommy Templeton); Fratelli Sarti for providing the buffet at a reduced cost; Quattro Stagioni for providing the prosecco at a reduced rate; Cacao, Milngavie for providing sweets for the children; Caledonia Lock & Safe Co. Glasgow, for the loan of the bottle safe; Scotland St School & The Glasgow Girls for their help on the day and the use of such a wonderful venue; Fiona Stewart -Adriano De Marco`s secretary - for her invaluable administration assistance; Zelinda & Giulia De Marco for their assistance in selecting toys for the children; Anthony Convery for his help on the day; all the children , mums, dads, Nonni and Nonne who made the day such a success. Please check out the website www.italianscotland.com for photos of the event (leave messages and photos tab) Finally if you want to come next year BOOK EARLY as places are limited ! Sunday 3rd January 2010 ! ALLA PROSSIMA That’s it for now. If you have any news that ItalianScotland can help disseminate do let us know and we’ll line it up for the February edition. Email your information to italianscotland@aol.com ___________________________________________________ Welcome to the Italian Scotland Christmas 2008 Newsletter...
Welcome to the bumper Christmas edition of Italian Scotland. This newsletter is busier than ever, as is our website www.italianscotland.com So hopefully you will enjoy reading on! BEFANA With Christmas just around the corner, don’t forget the inaugural Grande Festa della Befana organised by the CoCAIS. The event will take place at Scotland Street Children’s Museum on Sunday January 4th from 2-5pm. The aim is to encourage the younger members and friends of the Italian community, to participate in a traditional moment of Italian culture. The event is aimed at children aged 8 and under (however older children can be accommodated) If you have a child or grandchild, nephew or niece who might like to come along, please visit the ItalianScotland website (www.Italianscotland.com ) click on 'events' and print off an application form. The form should be filled in and forwarded (together with payment) to Cav. Adriano De Marco, 58 Beardmore Way, Clydebank Industrial Estate, Clydebank, Glasgow G81 4HT. Cost is subsidised by the CoCAIS and Comites so the charge per child is just £5 which includes a present and a calza ripiena (stocking filled with sweets). Accompanying adults can enjoy a glass of festive spumante and a slice of panettone while the children eat, meet La Befana and enjoy meeting new friends. The whole event is in English but is a great opportunity for the wee ones to enjoy Italian customs. To avoid disappointment, please book early as places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. CLOSING DATE FOR BOOKINGS IS THURSDAY DECEMBER 11 2008. For more information contact Cav. Adriano De Marco at ademarco@lineafabrications.co.uk BEFANA OFFER City centre restaurant La Vita is offering a special rate for those attending the Befana Party with children and grandchildren- a 2 course pre-theatre for £10.95 or a 10% discount off food from a la carte menu. The restaurant will be open on the day (Sunday January 4th) 4pm-10pm. To book in advance call 0141 243 2162 . FESTA DELLA TERZA ETA’ Another new initiative from the CoCAIS is the inaugural Festa della Terza Eta’. This will be the first of what we hope will be a series of seasonal lunches hosted by different restaurants for the senior members of the community (65 and over, though no-one will be checking the passports!) Once more sponsorship brings the cost down to just £5 per head for a full three course Italian lunch. The first one will be on Sunday March 1st 2-6pm at Bacco Italia, Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow. To book please visit the website (www.italianscotland.com ) and there click on “events” and download the application form. Send it with a cheque (payable to COCAIS) for £5 per person attending to Cav Adriano De Marco at the address above.
ITALIAN MONUMENT AND GARDEN
The efforts to create a new Italian garden and monument in the cloistered area beside St Andrew’s Cathedral continue. Early in the new year it is expected that details will be announced of the level of grant-funding from the statutory authorities. Work is already underway to prepare the Piazza area around the Cathedral and garden. Fund raising is now essential. In a special message, Archbishop Conti writes: “Already I have invited and received individual donations and support, while funding applications are presently lodged with Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. In addition I have been to Italy to seek support from some of the institutions there. “My thought now is to ask you, the various Italian Associations in Scotland to consider how, as a group you might assist the effort to create this special monument and garden. Could I ask that you consider at a forthcoming meeting whether you might be able to arrange some fundraising activity? Perhaps a dance or a raffle, a sponsored event or a sporting event, whatever you feel would be most appropriate to help raise funds for the project? “I am asking each of the Associations in Scotland to play a part in making our dream a reality. Please consider how you might assist in this effort.” More information is available from Cav. Ronnie Convery, on 0141 226 5898 or Ronnie.convery@rcag.org.uk ITALIAN SUNDAY To raise funds for the above project a large-scale event is planned for Troon Town Hall on Sunday February 1st. Thanks to the collaboration of Aldo Cecchini of Ayr and Ardrossan, there will be places for 300 for an afternoon and evening of food, music and dancing. Music will be kindly supplied by the ever-popular Angela and Paolo and tickets will cost just £15. They can be obtained throughout January from either of the Cecchini restaurants in Ayr or Ardrossan www.cecchinis.com or from the Archdiocese of Glasgow www.rcag.org.uk The low price is intended to allow family groups (adults and children) to come along and enjoy some traditional Italian food, company and entertainment, and it is anticipated that the Mayor of Barga, Umberto Sereni will make his last visit as mayor to the event and Archbishop Conti will also be a guest of honour. Venite numerosi!
ITALIANSCOTLAND WEBSITE
The importance of the ItalianScotland website is being ever-more acknowledged as a means of sharing news and information among all who have an interest in Scotland and Italy. Last month two new sponsors took up the offer of space on the home page for the special rate of £50 per year, payable to “CoCAIS” This initiative of the CoCAIS is designed to create a forum for news and views – visit it regularly to keep up to date. If you would like to join the sponsors and benefit from the ever-increasing number of visitors, contact CoCAIS treasurer Paul Verrico at paul.verrico@cosmoceramics.co.uk YOUR STORY An exciting new competition is launched this month aimed at people of Italian extraction living abroad. LE 1001 STORIE DEGLI ITALIANI NEL MONDO NARRATE DAGLI STESSI PROTAGONISTI is an initiative of the Pragmata Cultural Association aiming to collect the stories of Italians who have made their life outside Italy over the last 100 years. If you think your grandfather or uncle or nonna could fit the bill check out the website at http://www.pragmata.info/Le%201001%20storie.htm The best stories will be published in a prestigious volume to be launched at Rome’s Campidoglio and the contributors will be invited to Rome to receive a medal and hospitality in autumn 2009 at the launch.
TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE FOR ITALIAN FOOD LOVERS A novel approach to spreading the word about Italian food is launched this month. Fratelli Sarti are launching a new text messaging service that will send you SMS text alerts on special offers and discounts direct to your mobile phone. These special offers will only be available to text messaging subscribers, and our first text offer will be sent out this Thursday. If you’d like to subscribe to these special Fratelli Sarti text offers, text SARTI REGISTER to 07797 801010. BARGA BOOK HUNT The following request for help was received at our email address (italianscotland@aol.com) Let’s hope someone can help Nicola find the book she is trying to find … “Hi. I am looking to buy a copy of 'They Took The Low Road' by Bruno Sereni. My sister in-law has wanted it for ages and I would like to try and get her a copy for her Christmas. I have searched the net but can't find anything. I would be extremely grateful if you could help me in this matter.” AUGURI Auguri indeed to two Scots Italian restaurants which have picked up industry accolades at one of the top culinary competitions in the UK. The Pizza & Pasta Association, UK held its annual awards event at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Central London, last month. Domenico Crolla, of Bella Napoli Restaurant in Shawlands, Glasgow picked up no less than five awards, an industry first! Gold award for best pizzeria UK; Gold award for best Italian restaurant UK; 1st place for Pizza Designer of the year and two 1st place sponsor’s category awards. Another big winner was Tony Crolla’s La Favorita Restaurant in Edinburgh which picked up the Gold award for Pizza Restaurant of the Year and the top prize as Independent Pizza Delivery Operator of the Year. To both - Congratulations! CIAO ITALIA Scots Italian culinary art is further showcased this month with the launch of the new Ciao Italia Scozia website at www.ciaoitaliascozia.com Ciao Italia Scozia and Northern Ireland – under the presidency of Comm. Gianni Donfrancesco - is part of the worldwide Ciao Italia family of restaurants guaranteeing quality and authenticity in Italian cuisine. It is a non-profit making organisation which has been uniting Italian Restaurateurs around the world. Italian restaurants are, as many Presidents of the Republic of Italy have said, "the true Italian Ambassadors", providing traditional warm hospitality, f ine food and wine using quality authentic products. The growth in popularity of Italian restaurants over the last 50 years in Scotland and Northern Ireland has been truly extraordinary. The new website will be a valuable tool in uniting and promoting that culinary tradition. Most recently Ciao Italia and the Laziali in Scozia held a joint night at Giuliano’s on the Shore in Leith. Thanks to the celebrated Maestro Roberto Enzo, the dynamic Giuliano Binanti and the ever welcoming restaurant manager Daniele the event was a great success – sold out! COMITES The Comites – or Comitato degli Italiani all’Estero – is an officially established democratically elected committee which works to identify and support the needs of the Italian community in Scotland and Northern Ireland. To make better known the great work of this committee and to encourage wider participation, a new website has been created – www.comites.org.uk There you can read about the activities of the committee, its membership, elections and minutes of recent meetings. Once more the internet is providing a new way of spreading news, and promoting Italy in Scotland.
CINEMANGIARE Once more this month there is a chance to combine a film and a meal at some of Scotland’s top Italian restaurants at a special price. On offer for December is the acclaimed 2006 drama La Terra. Luigi is a philosophy lecturer in Milan, where he moved as a teenager, who finds himself back in his native Puglia embroiled in a family conflict between his three brothers: Michele, Mario and Aldo. Soon the family’s dark past is dragged into the harsh light of the present in director Sergio Rubini’s simmering family drama. Glasgow offer – on the evening of the film, Wednesday 10 December these restaurants are offering a discount of 20% on food on presentation of your La Terra cinema ticket: Fratelli Sarti city centre restaurants, Butterfly and Pig in Bath Street, Bella Napoli in Shawlands and Roma Mia, Darnley Street. Edinburgh offer – on the evening of the Monday 15 December, these restaurants are offering a discount of 20% on food on presentation of your La Terra cinema ticket: Lazio Ristorante 95 Lothian Road; Giuliano’s on the Shore, Leith and La Piazza Ristorante 79/99 Shandwick Place. EDINBURGH AND DUNDEE LAZIALI RETURN TO TERRACINA Thanks to Comm Gianni Donfrancesco for this report on the recent trip of Scots Laziali to their native region. Anche quest’anno, grazie alla lungimiranza delle Autorità regionali, noi laziali residenti all’estero ci ritroviamo a Terracina, che già dimostrò la sua efficienza organizzativa. Ma quest’anno il comune, con illuminata iniziativa dell’Assessorato al Turismo, ha deciso di conferire al soggiorno un carattere anche culturale. La chiave di lettura di questo incontro, che interessa ben 400 emigranti, è la “ricerca delle radici”. Si è giustamente pensato che la lunga permanenza lontano dai luoghi d’origine e l’esigenza di integrarsi nei nuovi paesi, sparsi in quest’occasione in 4 continenti, abbia comportato un affievolimento delle conoscenze, con conseguente esigenza di rinsaldare i legami con le proprie origini, anche con approccio culturale. Naturalmente l’aspetto logistico ha sempre un’importanza determinante nella riuscita di una manifestazione di così notevole complessità. Qui l’appossionata opera dell’Associazione degli Albergatori “Ass. Juppiter” nella persona del Presidente Jahangir Karimpuor che ha coordinato la partecipazione di ben 4 strutture Alberghiere e.g: Hotel Blue River, Albergo Mediterraneo, Grand Hotel L’Approdo, Torre del Sole di cui si sono distinti, per la parte che riguarda il gruppo degli Scozzesi di adozione, il vulcanico Direttore dell’Hotel Blue River Maurizio Di Meo, che non ci ha fatto rimpiangere l’ottimo Angelo Marazzi dell’Albergo Mediterraneo che ci ospitò qualche anno fà e con cui sono rimasti rapporti di cordiale amicizia; che però quest’anno dovrà vedersela con gli amici Australiani. Decisamente notevole e, forse eccessiva per la “linea”, è stata la cura dell’aspetto gastronomico “sempre di qualità!”, affidato alle cure della Catering Manageress, Aliana Costache. Una doverosa menzione alla cortese accoglienza e al sorriso dei gentili ed efficienti receptionists: Ingrid, Sofia e Emanuele, la cui assidua cura dei più minimi particolari, hanno reso il nostro soggiorno piacevole e confortevole. Ricordare le mete delle escursioni consente di cogliere la varietà delle mete scelte: dalla natura del Parco Nazionale del Circeo, all’arte nelle splendide Abbazie di Casamari e Montecassino, alla mistica Subiaco, alla raffinatezza del giardino di Sermoneta, nonché le Città Medioevali della Ciociaria. Un Ringraziamento sentito - e non certamente formale - a tutti Gianni Donfrancesco ALLA PROSSIMA And that’s it for now … do keep us posted with news of your local events and we can let everyone know. Send items for inclusion to Ronnie.convery@rcag.org.uk Ci vediamo l’anno prossimo! Buon natale a tutti! Cav. Ronnie Convery, Secretary, CoCAIS, December 4 2008
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