Window Dressing - Milano December 2010

I gave myself a day to wander around Milano's shopping district before heading back to Roma after last night's performance of Die Walküre at La Scala. As I've mentioned more than once I honestly don't believe that anyone beats Italians for window displays at the best of times and at Christmas design runs to the extravagant as well as the traditional. And nowhere in Italy does it get more extravagant than Milano.

One of the most original displays I've ever seen has to be this perfect party frock for New Year's Eve made of...

jeans!  For a close up just left click on the photo.

Who ever does the windows at Patrizia Pepe on Via Manzoni knows how to make people stop and look. Complementi!

11 decembre - San Damaso I Papa

Faded Photos

This post is a day late but yesterday was one of those days where much as done but not everything accomplished. A trip to the Vet for our Nicky – we're helping to feed Dr Porcino's 18 daschunds – followed by a laugh-filled pranzo with my friend Marco, then champagne and dolci with Maria Luisa and Laurent capped by an evening at the opera with Riccardo Muti conducing a special performance of Rossini's Moise et Pharon just for my birthday. Okay that's a bit of an exaggeration but its a nice thought. Between that and greetings from friends it was an almost perfect birthday.

When I packed up things for the move to Warsaw 11 years ago I had a large box of family photos to bring with me. I had retired and was going to have the time to go through them, scan them, burn them to a disc and have family and friends help me identify some of the people I didn't recognize. Well as they say the best planned lays ....

Over the last week or so I've been thinking about that box sitting on a top shelf here in Roma. I have come to realize that most of the people who could have helped me remember or discover the names behind the faces smiling or squinting into the Brownie Box lens have left the scene. Now many of those faces and the events those photos recorded will fade away as in time will the images. And that fills me with, if not a sadness, a profound melancholy.

Though the bulk of the photos record events in my parents life – both in Ireland and Canada – many captured people and places from my childhood. Unlike today back then I didn't seem to have an aversion to a camera flash. When I took the box of its shelf yesterday, in a fit of birthday nostalgia, I came across three photos that would have been taken, if not on the same day, certainly around the same time.

These would have been taken in the late spring or early summer of 1947 in the backyard of our house in what was then the countryside outside of Toronto. I had been born on December 9 of the previous year – according to family legend a snowy, blowy day in Toronto. My mother had been told – after losing two children – that she could never carry full-term so on the 8th my father announced that he would be off work as his wife was giving birth at 0930 on the 9th! And thus little William John came into the world – I recall that later I delighted in quoting Macduff that I “was from my mother's womb untimely ripped.” Given the period and state of medicine at the time perhaps a more honest description than I thought.


This would be me with my Aunt Vic who lived across the street from us. She wasn't really my aunt but in our family close friends were referred to as Aunt and Uncle. She had no children of her own and fawned over and spoiled me no end. She was a tiny French Canadian woman with a strong accent who's life was the stuff of novels. She didn't have a phone and would use ours occasionally; however she believed that the further away a person was the louder you had to talk. When she called her family in Rimouski all her sister really should have done was open the window she would have heard her just fine.

My father, Ab - a nickname he got because his little sister couldn't pronounce Albert, was the centre of my universe for the first 14 years of my life. I don't ever recall once in that 14 years going to bed without kissing him goodnight. I'm sure I've allowed time and circumstances to romanticize both the man and my relationship with him. Like most people I'm sure he had his faults and foibles but I only remember him as a loving and caring father. Fifty years later I still miss him.

Perhaps it's because I've ticked off another year but I think maybe I should dig a little deeper into that box before any more memories or photos fade away.

09 decembre - Juan Diego nato Cuauhtlatoatzin

Santa Claus Comes to Town - II

Though in later years the parades would have definite themes in 1952 the parade had a broader scope. The floats went beyond the traditional fairy tale characters with some fanciful and unusual floats that still reflected the world of children.



Eaton's had published the story of Punkinhead, the sad little ginger-haired bear who wanted to be in the Santa Claus Parade in 1948. By 1950 he had been established as a favourite appearing not only in the Parade but in Toyland as merchandise: stuffed animals, watches, records and story books. He was still a feature as late as 1986 in their Christmas marketing. I only wish I still had my Punkinhead stuffed bear - apparently it would be worth a small fortune today.


Is it just me or does this look like propaganda for the Toronto Board of Education?? Though the colouring book only showed two froggies walking beside the float there would have been 20 or more - all of them Eaton's employees, their family members or students from local schools - all volunteers.



Costumes for the parade were made to standard sizes and marchers were fit to the costumes with minor adjustments being made. Most of the costumes were a size too big so warm clothing could be worn underneath. Even a court lady can get cold when the wind is blowing down Bay Street.

08 decembre - L'Immacolata Concezione

Dolci in Bologna

I'm not sure that anyone can beat Italians for window dressing - its all about La bella figura - eye appeal - how does it look? And be it a small shop selling vegetables or a designer shop flogging this month's fashion most merchants treat displaying their wares as an art. And like most art sometimes it goes a bit over the top.

Take as an example these two displays viewed this past weekend in Bologna.

Dolci Sweet

We had gingerbread houses when I was a kid but these one's fashioned at Colazione da Bianca beat them hands down. Ours were very Hansel and Gretel country cottage - their's are the elegant Palazzi around their shop on Via San Stefano. How Italian is that?



And if the gingerbread doesn't tempt then maybe the boxes of truffles, torte and mille foglie surrounding them will bring you in to get that Sunday pranzo dolci.

Dolci Silly

Truffles - or rather the packaging for truffles - feature prominently in this display for dolci of a different sort. It took a minute or two to figure out what these mannequins had on their heads.



The silver and gold boxes, wrapping and trays for the delicious chocolaty delights that fill the confectioneries here year round but especially at Christmas make for interesting headgear.

And of course no one who wants to fit into any of these dresses would even think of consuming one truffle let alone the number needed to empty those boxes and trays!

07 decembre - Sant'Ambrogio

Santa Claus Comes to Town - 1952

Last year I thumbed through the first colouring book that the Eaton company put out in 1951 for their annual Santa Claus Parade. The Parade was a big event in Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. It meant that Christmas had officially begun - I seem to recall it being on the last weekend of November and Christmas decorations didn't appear until then - anywhere. Of course there is a possibility that I may be romanticism everything with the "things were better back then" brush old folks like me tend to paint things with.

And looking at the calender of Saints I noticed today was Saint Nicholas so what could be more appropriate than starting a look through the following year's parade in the Eaton's collection at the wonderful Archives of Ontario.

The 1951 colouring book had been a runaway success for the store but there had been a few complaints that the drawings were too detailed for younger children to colour. The 1952 and subsequent editions had simplified drawings which allowed for bigger swatches of colour but remained faithful to the fantasy of the floats we saw on the parade route.



Looking at that Drummer following the majorette reminded me that the Black Watch Band always officially led the parade off.


The average float was around 40 feet long but no float could be over 15 feet high because of the overhead electrical and streetcar wires. Of course to us kids they were gigantic and the people riding on them - mostly Eaton's employees - were magical and that Princess! Why she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen!

And over the next few days we'll follow the parade as it wends its 10 kilometre route from Christie Pits to Eaton's Flagship store on Queen St.


06 decembre - San Nicola di Bari

Lunedi Lunacy

Well it turns out I'm heading up to Milano for the second performance of the new Die Walküre which opens the season on December 7 - but I have a feeling there won't be a helmet or breastplate in sight!

06 decembre - San Nicola di Bari

Happy Hanukkah - חג שמח

Tonight is the fourth evening of Hanukkah - the Festival of Lights - in which my Jewish friends celebrate the miracle of the oil in 2 BCE.

Tonight in the Ghetto in Roma the fourth candle will be lit on the menorah - in many households the traditional prayers will be said, gelt will be given to the children, dreidels will be spun, songs sung and foods specific to the feast will be eaten.

The communal menorah on Via del Tempio in the centre of the old Ghetto of Rome.

We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations.

To all my dear friends celebrating Hanukkah I wish a happy and holy feast tonight and in the coming four days.

04 decembre - Santa Barbara

A Touch of Paint To Brighten Up The Place

Yesterday (December 2) I was part of a group on a day long outing in the Terre Etrusco (Etruscan Lands) just a few kilometres outside Roma. It was a day spent tasting the wines and food products of the region, visiting the area and learning a bit about a civilization that predated the Romans by several centuries. I'm planning to post something on the excellent wines and wonderful local produce we experienced in the next few days - after we return from the Christmas Fairs in Bologna - but in the meantime I thought I'd share a look at one of our stops on the way.

Since the Etruscans people in the Lazio region have been decorating their walls with scenes from life (and death) around them. You only have to go 17 kilometres from Roma to Cerveteri to see the Etruscan Necropolis with its tombs painted with scenes of daily life - one of the few indications we have of how that ancient civilization lived. Closer to home the centre piece of Palazzo Massimo (my favorite museum here in Roma) is the dining room from Livia's Villa at Prima Porta. The room gave Livia and her guests a wondrous garden to banquet in - the unknown artist transferring the flora and fauna of her above ground garden into this underground room. And today it gives us an glimpse of the level of sophistication of the woman behind the Emperor and the plants, animals and birds that populated her world. As we move into the Renaissance fresco painters turned more to religious or allegorical subjects to praise both their God and their Patrons. But still scenes of daily life and familiar landscapes crept in as reminders of hearth, heath and home.

The fresco tradition is so much a part of the culture here that it came as no surprise to see the same themes repeated several centuries later at the Castello di Torre in Pietra: daily life around the Castello, religion and the outdoors brought in for the enjoyment of hosts and guests.
The main courtyard of the Castello has remained almost unchanged from this fresco which adorns one of the sitting room. The hexagonal church was the work of Ferdinando Fuga in the early part of the 1700s and is a popular spot for weddings today.

This salon was used for entertaining guests - they could sit in the comfort of the large armchairs and enjoy the cooling shade of a copse of trees and a view of the Castello.

When it was painted Prince Falconieri insisted that a fence had to surround the room - to stop animals from breaking in and disturbing his guests!

In the mid-1700s the Prince commissioned Pier Leon Ghezzi to paint the Grand Salon on the Piano Nobile and most specifically to laud and praise his family and the Papal visit during the Jubilee of 1725 by Pope Benedict XIII. The room is surrounded by the great, the good and others of both the Falconieri and the Papal families and retinues. There are also representations of Falconieri properties in Roma and the region - just so you know that this was merely the summer place.


Pope Benedict XIII, pictured amongst assorted Cardinals and clergy, looks down on the room and gives his papal blessing during a visit during the 1725 Jubilee.

Various members of the household watch the banqueting and festivals taking place below them. Interestingly there are no women seen amongst the crowds celebrating the occasion.


The important members of the family have place of honour over the marble fireplace and almost seem to be ignoring the Holy Father and his retinue at the other end of the room.

A reminder that this was but one of the properties of the Falconieri family - others included a palazzo in Roma and the beautiful Villa Falconieri in Frascati.

The Salla San Francisco is frescoed with scenes from the Saint's life but there was once scene in particular that had nothing to do with him that I found fascinating.

This looks just like a typical landscape painting of the surrounding area - bucolic greenery and a few figures, possibly peasants, framed by gilt columns. But one of the columns has a notice taped to it.
Closer inspection reveals that it is an invocation to the Madonna and slyly it bears Ghezzi's signature.
And those figures - a closer look reveals the Holy Family on the Flight into Egypt. An angel points the way to Joseph and one cherub helps lead the donkey while another gives comfort to the Virgin and child.

Even the corridors of the Piano Nobile are frescoed with allegorical and landscape scenes - many of them reflecting the historical importance of the family.
And the ceilings have been painted to mimic the sky and filled with birds in flight to give a more open feeling to a room. And often the decoration is just a light and fanciful landscape created to give a room needed colour and light.

It's really remarkable how a little paint can brighten up a room!!!

03 decembre - San Francesco Saverio

Christmas Officially Begins

Or rather it officially began yesterday - December 1st - when Betty Jean's Christmas Cactus burst into bloom. It couldn't have been better timing. Its been rainy and grey here for the past few weeks and when I went into the kitchen yesterday morning there was this burst of colour - two blooms had opened and a few more followed later in the day.




I'm absolutely amazed - I've never had a Christmas Cactus this healthy before. My friend Yvette in the south of France has two in bloom and just as vibrantly. I can only think - and fondly hope - the rest of the season will be as colourful and as bountiful in so many ways.

02 decembre - Santa Bibiana

World AIDS Day 2010 - Part II

I have referred to Roberto Bole occasionally in postings both as a great dancer and as a sex symbol and though he is both those things he is decidedly more than that. Back in 1999 at a Gala here at Rome's Teatro dell'Opera he was appointed a UNICEF Ambassador with the special task of raising awareness of the problems of the young.  It is a role he has taken seriously especially with the rising problem of children in Africa born with AIDS or left orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.

I was particularly taken by this photo that appeared recently on my friend Opera Chic's blog along with a post on Bolle's recent trip to Central Africa.


When I saw this picture I thought of all the people who preach that AIDS is God's punishment and thought: what has this child done that deserves any sort of punishment particularly this dreadful disease?

01 decembre - La giornata mondiale contro l'AIDS

World AIDS Day 2010 - Part I

Once again as a commemoration of World AIDS Day I am reposting a piece that was written five years ago by Christopher, a blogger from London, and posted on his now dormant blog Everything Is Not Real.  I wish I could say that things have changed since he wrote this or since I first posted it but sadly the situation in Africa, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world is still much as it was.  But the wisdom of his post still holds as true today as it did back in 2005.

December 1, 2005
I have lottery fantasies.

I dream about being able to buy fast cars and designer clothes until they come out of my ears. I want houses in London, New York, East Hampton and Rio. I want to be able to travel first class and work out at The Third Space and get reservations at Annabel's just because of who I am. I want to be able to take hot dates on tours of the National Gallery. When it's closed. Because I'm one of it's biggest benefactors.

Needless to say, twice a week, I am disappointed.

This morning, on the way to work on the tube, I was reading a Times article, written by Annie Lennox, about the millions and millions of people in Africa who are suffering with HIV and AIDS, and dying, and how the governments of the richer nations, such as the one I live in, have pledged support over an eight year period. And how they absolutely must stay committed to this goal.

One of the kids she spoke to on a recent trip to Africa was dying of AIDS. But before he got sick he lost his mother, father, brothers, sisters and pretty much everyone else he cared about to the same disease. He was totally alone in the world. With no hope. And certainly no dreams of fast cars or a nice comfortable house, anywhere. And that shit isn't even near the important stuff.

There are approximately 6,450,000,000 humans on Earth.

Most of them are not 33 year olds who have careers which afford them access to guest lists to the best clubs and bars the city has to offer. They don't have friends who will stick with them no matter what (and slip them Jil Sander dress shirts every now and then.)They don't have housemates who have Thai cuisine prepared and ready to eat when they arrive home. They don't have comfortable beds to sleep in at night.

6,450,000,000.

When I think about it I kinda did win the lottery.

About 33 years ago

EVERYTHING IS NOT REAL - Christopher

Along with Christopher I count myself and so many I love amongst the lottery winners.

For Pierre, Lawrence, Bill, Don, Jim, Brian - not forgotten.

01 decembre - La giornata mondiale contro l'AIDS

Advent 2010

Over at AMOROMA my friend Larry continues his tradition of an Advent Calender to mark off the days until the celebration of Christmas. In previous years he has taken us daily through Roman Windows, Roman Doors and Roman Gates; this year he has created his calender from a remarkable series of angels that are omnipresent in architecture and decoration throughout our adopted city..

A left click will take you to the first day of Advent on Larry's Calender.

Once again this year I'll be providing a daily link to open the virtual door at Larry's site and reveal the angelic delight and reading for the day to be found there.

01 decembre - Sant'Eligio di Noyon