ZOOM

CULT

Venice - Architecture for the sound
Artists often prepare in our cities the solidity of an object.  They treat an aspect, up to deforming it  and they put the artifact in an environment so that it is able to restore a visual or significant effect, a concept in some way  which is able to rouse in our heads a sensory  personalized change.  This artistic process could be understood as “installation”, a word which has by now become part of the contemporary artistic language.  In July, twenty years ago, in Venice, a city very often a destination of artistic installations, the Pink Floyd mainly installed “sound”. An ensemble of “sound essence” reconstructive only from the sensory memory of who attended the concert and which passed into the city’s history  and into the history of music.  The Pink Floyd were fond of certain scenery and loved installing themselves in their own way, they are loyal to their artistic genius:  already in the archaeological area of Pompeii in 1970, they orchestrated a performance to soundproof in a psychedelic way that very charming landscape.  In 1989, it was Venice’s turn, and the Lagoon became the setting to achieve one of their wishes and express it at its best, turning to their expressive equipment.

New York - My name is Sheena
 Sheena is a name which has become part of the American name’s dictionary, at least as much as the Ramones – the punk band of the blitz sounds founded in 1974 in the Queens district of New York -  they have become part of the history of music. “ Sheena is a punk rocker “ is the first single of the group – taken from the album “Rocket to Russia” (1977) – and it reached 81st place in the hit parade of Billboard (the magazine that often shows the progress of musician’s popularity), remaining there for 13 weeks to confirm definitely Ramones contribution to the theory and practice of punk-rock.  Just what Joey Ramones (singer in the group) declared to the Rolling Stone magazine, the title of the single came from the unedited association between the name of the character of a popular comic strip “Sheena, Queen of the Jungle” and the term “punk-rock”.  “I combined Sheena, Queen of the Jungle with the primalness of punk-rock.  It was funny, because all the girls in New York seemed to change their names to Sheena after that”.
A short, simple, quick positive statement like the pieces and the look of the group, evidently inspired by a minimalist harmony (the minimalism conquered New York, that soon would be animated by Street Art and Neo-expressionism) T-shirt, leather jacket and trainers.  Unfailing, finally, the fringe the same as that prepared on the forehead of the hundreds of fans who chose to transform themselves into Sheena Queen among the images of punk-rock.

ZOOM

Puglia is in fashion

FASHION HAS A GOOD TIME

The fashion world, the crème of the American, French and Italian press, transferred to Puglia for a night to partake in the most spectacular and most enjoyable event of summer 2009.
To celebrate her 65 years, Mariella Milani, who for years has been the fashion presenter on TG2, organized an unforgettable “tarantolata” night of music, dance and food from Puglia in her summer house near Ostuni. Almost three hundred guests partied at this unique event until the early hours experiencing an unforgettable atmosphere which, as recognized by international tourism as being unique to Puglia.
To entertain the VIPs in a place not so far away at Savelletri of Fasano was the superb Masseria San Domenico, a magical spot where the talent of Mastra and Aldo Melpignano was obtained from the ancient lookout tower of the Malta Knights, which subsequently became a masseria (like a farm) of the family.

TOURISM AND COMFORT

A resort member of the Leading Small Hotels, San Domenico offers a spa and a thalassotherapy center that uses the notoriously beneficial sea water of Puglia, rich in plankton.
Discovered at the beginning of the nine hundred by Renè Quintan, who began comparison studies between seawater and the human blood, this discipline has been recognized among the most effective provided that uses of natural environmental conditions.
Among the “talasso” treatments available, is a swim in the sea and a walk in the woods of olive trees which get lost into the horizon, the Massseria of San Domenico allows a full immersion into a luxury that - as Marisa Melpignano affirms -   is well being,  is a favorable environment: it is harmony. The greatest discretion guarantees anonymity to VIP guests from all over the world who come here, who are also attracted by the beautiful golf course overlooking the sea.

TOURISM AND WELL BEING

A resort member of the Leading Small Hotels, San Domenico offers a spa and a thalassotherapy center that uses the notoriously beneficial sea water of Puglia, rich in plankton.
Discovered at the beginning of the nine hundred by Renè Quintan, who began comparison studies between seawater and the human blood, this discipline has been recognized among the most effective provided that uses of natural environmental conditions.
Among the “talasso” treatments available, is a swim in the sea and a walk in the woods of olive trees which get lost into the horizon, the Massseria of San Domenico allows a full immersion into a luxury that - as Marisa Melpignano affirms -   is well being,  is a favorable environment: it is harmony. The greatest discretion guarantees anonymity to VIP guests from all over the world who come here, who are also attracted by the beautiful golf course overlooking the sea.

PIERRE MANTOUX

A Pierre Mantoux invention is the new fashion to play with the lycra one-piece suit with which you can wrap around an endless scarf. Eccentric and ironic, the fashion proposed by the genial stylist allows the one-piece to worn easily, turning it into a young suit full of seduction.
The look of  PierreMantoux has a femininity that oscillates among sweet sensations, and appearsin harmony with individuality. He applies this ethos to whatever the opportunity presents itslef. It can be a up-tp-the minute one-piece suit in macramé lace that is worn like a second skin: and you know immediately it is a Pierre Mantoux.

NEW YORK NEW YORK
“HIGH LINE” CALVIN KLEIN

An evening Gala in New York that presented the “First Party with the High Line” of the Calvin Klein Collection. During the inauguration organized by Friends of High Line at New York in the presence of the founders of High Line, Joshua David and Robert Hammond. The High Line is the first part - that extends for nine blocks - to the new monumental public park in New York, which officially opened to the public last June.
Among the guests, including Italo Zucchelli, were creative director of Calvin Klein Collection men
(winner of the Designer Prize of the year assigned by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Francisco Costa, Tom Murry (president and CEO of Calvin Klein), Lisa Maria and Philip Falcone, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Dree Hemingway, Melissa George, Danny De Vito, Thom Browne - to mention just a few.

LUXURY ITALIAN IN CHICAGO

One of the most recognised brands of luxury design, Bisazza, famous for its mosaic tiles, has opened its first flagship store in to Chicago. A 330 square meter space, distributed over two floors, on 226 West Kinzie, is considered to be one of the most prestigious districts for designer goods. It is the third shop that the Italian brand has opened in the United States and the date coincides with the NeoCon - an important fair devoted to the design-contract that takes place annually at the Merchandise Mart.
Bisazza, which belongs mainly to the family Bisazza (and 14,3% to Mediobanca) has its headquarters in Vicenza, Italy,  and includes 16 branches, a network of 7000 distributors and 12 flagships stores.

ITALIAN ELEGANCE

ROME - HIGH FASHION
LORENZO RIVA :

During the recent review of high fashion in Rome, Lorenzo Riva introduced models inspired by the movies of Luchino Visconti: the models were dressed by Silvana Mangano in in the famous white suit of the ” Gattopardo ” that Claudia Cardinale were when she danced her waltz , the best known waltz in movie history.

“LET ME DRESS MICHELLE”

During a presentation to the press the stylist praised the beauty of Michelle Obama that he would however like to dress in a completely different way, in Riva style: “Throw away all the suits with the Hawaiian colors such as yellow combined with black or red. Always avoid to tie back her hair: she looks good with a very western hairstyle, well cut hair never too long but never too short. She can wear shoes with or without heels, as both her and her husband are so tall and good looking, that is not a problem for Michelle and Barak Obama, unlike the case for Carlà and Sarkozy).

THE NEW LOOK ARMANI

Swarovski crystals on the black leather straps of an evening top and on the nude that George Armani manages to dress with light. Magnificent neckpieces made of pearls and drops of strass crystals set on tulle tape set off with clear makeup and twenties style, heart-shaped red lips: This is how the prince of the Italian style imagines women for next season.

MALE ELEGANCE
THE MESSAGE OF BELVEST

That classical and casual style that was put together at ‘Pitti Uomo’ for the next season, is defined as “Italian elegance” and has gotten the greatest consent from critics and the public alike. Among the winning brands in the beautiful collections, the harmony of the volumes and the finest materials used, the maximum consent has gone to the BELVEST, aVenetian firm from Piazzola sul Brenta that for over half a century (founded by the mythical Aldo Nicoletto) has pursued luxury production under the experienced direction of Maria Teresa Nicoletto and her son, Riccardo della Piazza.

TO DREAM A DREAM OF MARILYN
HAT ON ALSO IN SUMMER

For the next summer 2010  season the designer fashion Borsalino calls for “hats on heads” at all times and in all temperatures. If it is too hot - the experts of this prestigious hat company, say - the Borsalino will keep you cool and if it is too cold it will keep you warm, acting as anequalizer with the outside weather. In all cases, it is a touch of absolute elegance and style.

WEB: FROM SEAN COPNNERY AT BENICIO DEL TORO

For years ‘Web’ glasses have become the inseparable travel companion for many celebrities and personalities of the international jet set such as Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Claudia Schiffer, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins and Carolina di Monaco and they still fascinate new generations of celebrities such as Benicio del Toro, Nicky Hilton, Lynn Collins, Conie Nielsen, Tophe Grace and Lauren Saint Domingo.

New Bags :LUXURY AND EASY

Following the success of the film “Home” of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, produced by Luc Besson, the stylist Hussay Chalayan has decided to create a purse called “Home” that could send a message of “ecological peace” to everybody. The shopping-bag, that reproduces animals endangered by extinction
 was presented during the recent Milan fashion Week with an initiative by the Chamber of the Buyers presided by Beppe Angiolini.

BURBERRY PRORSUM IN NEW YORK

A new headquaters for the prestigious brand in the center of Manhattan, 444 Madisons Avenue, between the 49th and the 50th: the signage, placed on the roof, is visible from all over New York.
Placed on four floors - with two terraces - the space of the new NY shop host the new collection designed by Christopher Bailey that has drawn its inspiration from a dreamy trip between East and West.

SCERVINO IS ACCLAIMED IN THE US

Welcomed by the greatest success also during the presentations that continue in the United States of America, the new bags by Ermanno Scervino are already a must for the 2010 collection designed by the great Tuscan stylist.

ITALIAN DESIGN

At latest session of the Saloni that were held at the Fair of Milan / Rho, great appreciation was assigned to the table “Tuttotondo” by Alessandro Mendini, which is produced in numbered and limited series by the ZERODISEGNO company of Charles Poggio.

ZOOM

The signature of “bussolà” biscuits

The Palmisano signature, applied tothis small Burano-based company’s confections of biscuits and pastries, is considered a synonym of tradition all over Venice – a brand that evokes, for Venetian palates, the taste of the famous “bussolà” from Burano, an exquisite biscuit that is also eaten for dessert in the lagoon city, dipped in sweet wine. The Palmisano company have always been bussolà experts. In 1926, the Palmisano family started their production of traditional Venetian sweeties and biscuits, founding a small artisanal pastry shop on Burano island. Ever since, Palmisano Cav. Luigi & Company has been a place to go in the universe of Venetian pastry, producing also for other brands. Founded by Antonio Palmisano, the pastry shop succeeded to establish itself thanks to the passion of Antonio’s son Luigi, in particular, then of his grandson Francesco. The company played a decisive part in spreading the fame of the bussolà, originally an Easter biscuit, now savored all year round, not least as one of the foreign visitors’ most beloved souvenirs. From the original Burano bakery, which though still exists and is still the company’s registered office, production hasbeen relocated to the mainland, to the coastal town of Jesolo, with the advantages of abundant space and more efficient production and distribution. Almost a century after the foundation of the original workshop, innovation has been steady and today, even ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 standards are being observed, though without disregarding tradition. Present-day bussolà keeps the original character of artisanal production, relying on natural ingredients like flour, eggs, butter and sugar, and refraining from using preservatives. Palmisano novelties worth mentioning are the “buranellini”, fragrant bussolà biscuits to which a hedonistic stuffing of either apricots, cherries or chocolate is added, and “kamù”, a biscuit in the tradition of Venice, but made of kamut, thus another natural sweetie free of raising agents and preservatives. Francesco Palmisano: “Having peerless baking experience, sticking to the old traditional recipes, and selecting carefully all produce, these are the secrets behind the tasty and fragrant delicacies made by a company that developed with time without being prone to compromise about quality, and in spite of numerous attempts to imitate its products.” All in all, a company of “craftsmen of good taste”.

ZOOM

A terrace lit by candles

Three minutes from the very center of Venice, “Alla Conchiglia” restaurant is a must for anyone whose pleasure is to indulge in characteristic and suggestive experiences of the lagoon city. It’s run by the three youthful siblings Alessandro, Andrea and Barbara, to whom their father Franco Biasutti has recently handed down the management, and offers traditional dishes from Venetian and standard Italian cuisine. For twelve years, its ace dish has been Venetian-style turbot, based on Grandma Teresa’s recipe and served with vegetables and potatoes – much appreciated by the patronage. Notable acclaim is also achieved by the tagliolini pasta with lobster and rocket, the scolloped spaghetti with bottarga (dried fish eggs), carpaccio of either meat or sea bass, schie (the world’s tiniest, and best, shrimps, a specialty of the Venetian lagoon) with polenta, and Venetian gnocchi; not to mention meatballs cooked in tomato sauce and then served with spaghetti in white sauce – a great success with American clients, in particular.
The whole place boasts a tranquil and relaxed ambiance, and is eager to make the guests feel snug, and to avoid any turmoil in service. The interior has a pleasant, comfortable and elegant air about it; there are two large, air-conditioned rooms, each seating up to 30 guests and convenient for weddings, birthday and other parties. In the evening, lamps are dimmed, and candles are lit to create a more intimate atmosphere. And outside, there’s an evocative terrace, facing the church of San Giorgio dei Greci and a characteristic canal, where it’s by no means unusual to overhear serenading gondoliers; the terrace seats 20 persons, and is in great demand particularly with tourists, who let neither rain nor fog deter them from using it. If too many people wish to be seated there, you may shorten the time of waiting with an aperitif offered by the restaurateurs. On the restaurant’s website, a reservation tool is available, and groups can even choose from the menu and assemble their meal in advance.
At an average of 80 guests per day, the restaurant’s clientele is widely varied: from tourists who stop to rest and take some refreshment like a salad, to clients coming especially to sample the delicacies and to drink perhaps some bottle of good wine. And of good wine, there is certainly no shortage at “Alla Conchiglia”, whose wine list presents about 50 items, white or red, but all strictly Italian: from Sassicaia to Brunello di Montalcino, from Pinot Gris from the Collio wine-growing region to Chianti Riserva Ducale.

Alla Conchiglia Restaurant
Castello 4990/91
tel. +39 0415289095
www.ristoranteallaconchiglia.com
allaconchiglia@libero.it

ZOOM

Beyond every ocean

There are typically Italian traditions born when the memory gets lost into legend. Traditions told us by our grandfathers like an old fable. Ancient professions, almost abandoned, remembered by few people. One of these traditions has always been recognized worldwide for its quality and elegance: the tradition of curtains and upholstery. Tappezzeria Artigiana Pivato has been keeping the quality and reliability flag high for forty years. And now it comes the second generation, the youngest one, who, on the strength of its experience and with the same energy, bears the responsibility for being the ambassadors of the “Made in Italy” worldwide.
“It’s a responsibility we carry without problem – Luca Pivato, the owner, says to us – we work knowing to be able to repay faith of the customers that believe in us”. “This is something connected to the effort we always spend offering an innovative and quality product at competitive cost. Thanks to that – Stefano Vettor, sales manager, underlines – we can offer abroad a service breaking down every localism or distance.”
This responsibility becomes a need that turns into reality. Many years spent studying and understanding, listening and satisfying customer’s needs. Pivato is a young and motivated organization, able to interpret the dream of customers to make them come truth. Apartments, houses, villas, and the restructuring of large yachts: that’s an important component in the sales volume of the firm. International studies of architecture and design become key partners and source of inspiration and views to achieve unique prestige solutions. A recognition that comes from afar, and the proof is the collaboration with the Carnival shipping company Carnival, for which Pivato is setting curtains and sofas for a new boat designed by J. Farcus.
“Indeed – the owner continues – working for large international cruise ships is always cause for pride and push to improve. We started just two years ago but we’ve immediately understood how we had to move.”
Stefano adds: “Since the very first time we’ve understood that our role wasn’t simply supplying a product, but also suggesting the kind of curtains you are searching for, respecting delivery times and spending limits requested by customers.”€
Ancient and Modern get married and sail on the seas of the world. Pivato firm wear the Italian colors with pride to show everybody that you can’t improvise quality, reliability and effort. Tappezzeria Artigiana Pivato is going to open soon the gates to East Europe. The Italian colors will get into Wien and through Russia, China and Japan, countries which are just a far away dream for many people.
There are firms that work for the highest quality only, riding that winged animal, famous all over the world as “Made in Italy”, that not everyone can ride horseback: Pivato firm is one of them.

ZOOM

Metamorphosis for ever

Precious pendents that transform themselves into earrings or into brooches: reversible and interchangeable rings.  This is the “Metamorphosis” collection which is the innovation of the Jeweller’s Salvadori, in Venice: multiple use jewellery that lets the customer have more jewels available contemporarily.
A prestigious ring with brilliants and rubies stands out in the collection: in an instant – a simple movement is sufficient – the ring can present itself with a Burman ruby in its centre of over one and a half carats or with a highest quality on the market pure carat brilliant. All Salvadori’s diamonds under half a carat are in fact, pure and of extra, + (F) white colour, the ones of half a carat and above are accompanied by the most important certificates in the world: the Hrd of the Hoge Raad voor Diamant of Antwerp or the Gia of the Gemological Institute of America.
Another original jewel of the “Metamorphosis” collection is a pendent with a pure diamond drop in its centre of exceptional (D) white colour, it comes away and can make a diamond ring.  The “Puzzle” ring is also special in white gold with a pavè of pure brilliants: the characteristic of this ring is,  its sub-division into three parts separable and interchangeable, they can be worn together or separately, alternating the elegance of the brilliants with the modernity of sapphires and rubies.  While the recent “Luxury  and Yacht Fair” in Vicenza conferred the success of the original pendent “Scorpion” with nine carats of pure brilliants, which can be transformed into a brooch.
The Jeweller’s  Salvadori  was founded in 1857 in Venice , by Giuseppe Salvadori, in the same place as it is now, in the Mercerie San Salvador, the celebrated street that joins the area of Rialto with Saint Since 1974 the promoter of the “Salvadori style” is Carla Pendini, the owner’s wife: the works created are deposited and the originality is guaranteed by the Salvadori brand (Ve-370).  For nearly ten years the collections have been enriched with the ideas of one of their daughters Marzia, who has inherited the creative inspiration and she has created the “Metamorphosis” collection.  Meanwhile, the precious stones are bought directly by Gabriele Pendini at the “Diamond Bourse” in Antwerp, of which he is a member and where he goes many times during the year with his wife and his daughters Monica and Marzia, both of them are Gemmologists with diplomas from the Gemological Institute of America.

Gioielleria Salvadori
San Marco, Mercerie San Salvador 5022
Venezia
Tel: +39 041 5230609
www.salvadori-venezia.com

ZOOM

Hunting for typicality

The profession of an Italian chef in New York requires additional expertise. Meaning the ability to look for, discover and evaluate the products of the Belpaese, exploring the shelves of food stores with diligence. In this particular aspect of the profession, Marco Berto, the chef of the restaurant “Zorzi NYC” in Manhattan, dedicates extra attention to everything. “Ever since I came to New York, I first and foremost worked on the kitchen’s overall state as well as the finding of raw materials, a difficult task because in New York – according to Berto - everything is available but one must carefully select his suppliers and importers.”
Products at ‘Zorzi NYC’ such as cheese, dairy, sausages, asparagus and other vegetables come from Italy. “For some products the price on the U.S. market is very high, such as that of the radishes from Treviso.” But with many customers, it’s worth it, including U.S. clients, since they recognize and appreciate the tastes already enjoyed in Italy. The radish from Treviso, for instance, is very different from the ‘common’ one found here, though it has the same name. But the fresh pasta is hand and home made, such as spaghetti, fusilli and ravioli in all colors. Some of the food, however, is of local origins. “The meat and fish in the United States are - ensures the chef of the restaurant Zorzi NYC – of highest quality.”
There are two districts recommended by Marco Berto for those who wish to shop for Italian food products in New York. The first one is The Meatpacking District, where there is a wide assortment of quality food products from Italy. Or the Chelsea Market, in which most of the food stores are Italian.
Originally from Jesolo, a province of Venice, 32 years old, Berto was called to New York in May 2008 by Franco and Alberto Zorzi, who were seeking a young and enthusiastic chef with whom they planned to launch the new space, very elegant in design yet affordable. An area intended to become, according to the Zorzis’ idea, a showcase for the Italian cuisine and culture overseas. “When I first received the offer I immediately accepted because – says the chef – a professional experience in the United States has always been a dream for me.”
The Zorzis have made their mark, however, even in the kitchen. “Both Franco and Alberto are two excellent food connoisseurs - says Berto - our menus follow the seasons, and Alberto, right before the seasons change, comes to NY to develop recipes and dishes that we prepared, such as the risotto Zorzi,  a symbol of our restaurant, an idea of theirs.”

ZOOM

NYC Italian Restaurants

How is it possible to know if the ” Scarpariello Chicken ” and the  “Spaghetti with meatballs” really are made following a truly traditional Italian recipe? That’s not an easy task in New York . The Big Apple is swarming with restaurants and catering services that promise Italian food specialties. Just choosing what to eat is an adventure in itself, and that’s why “NYC Italian Food and restaurants” is essential.
This product is not a traditional soft copy food guide, but an electronic application produced by Mazzanti Editori (ME Publisher: Venice, New York City) to act as a helping hand to consumers when researching where to eat and where to go according to their own taste and eating style.
Following the standards of the best applications for sale in the iTunes Store - that by now is the most renowned virtual shop of the world - “NYC Italian Food and Restaurants” not only enriches the functionality of a mobile like the iPhone, but qualifies itself as an easy to use and extensive source of information that gives a platform those who operate in Italian cuisine food and wine.
Giving a review of all the Italian restaurants in New York, this application acts as a the “definitive guide” that highlights all the places devoted to the Italian food according to the type of cuisine (classical, contemporary, creative, Italian-American), the type of service, the cost and the location, focusing on the Manhattan area, Any restaurant that takes your interest can be located on Google Map, so you can visit their website or can book a table using you cell-phone, by emailing or by using the reservation form.
In fact, thanks to the descriptive cards of the different places, it is possible to discover what type of cuisine the dishes on the menus come from, their geographical origin and the ingredients that characterize them; a photo gallery introduces the atmosphere of the different restaurants and a brief comment defines how the menus adhere to standards of original Italian cuisine  This, in fact, introduces the whole of the “regional kitchens”, as a dynamic meeting between tradition and creative innovations that are mixed to the such point as to preserve the identity of the product.
In this way, for example, when temptation to eat a pizza over comes you, “NYC Italian Food and Restaurants ” is the ace to have up your sleeve to point you in the right direction to the best pizzeria and guarantees you that the preparation of the pizza has been doen according to traditional Italian cooking standards. Such as cooked in a firewood oven, or it can even point out what dishes should be considered “fake” because they do not follow the recipes of traditional and true Italian cuisine. To complete the high quality of the guide, some sections are also given to coffee, to wine bars and above all to the places and stores where you can find good Italian gastronomy, confectionery, gelaterias and also even wines, liqueurs and kitchen tools so you can make the dishes that have conquered our palate in the comforts of your very own kitchen!

ZOOM

Anthology for the experts

“There is a communion of more than our bodies when bread is broken and wine is drunk” M.F.K. Fisher.
A work edited by the two Anthropologists Carole Counihan and Penny van Esterik, Food and Culture is an anthology which has reached its second edition (publishers Routledge, New York, 2008) and it is intended for the lovers of food.  Updated and fatter than the first edition (1997), this edition has had added to it, contributions that impress with liveliness the attention of the studious and the lovers of the culture of alimentation.  Organized into four sections “Food and Culture” draws your attention to the social, symbolic, economical and political roles of Food: it does it with an interdisciplinary point of view, putting together – approaches of the anthropological, sociological, historical, political philosophical and psychological type.  In this sense, the studies and the surveys presented, examine some of the potential “significances that food and alimentation take on between different cultures, with particular attention to the way in which men and women “define” themselves through the way they eat.  The first section of the volume offers some articles by now taken as fundamental for those who want to approach the study of the culture of alimentation, among these, those of the Anthropologists Claude Lévi-Strauss and Margaret Mead and of the Semiologist Roland Barthes who show how much the importance,  symbolic to food,  influences  every society, the daily usages tied to food.  Followed, in the second part, focalized on the report between genus and consumption, very particular contributions appear here,  like for example, that of Fabio Parasecoli who offers an enlightening cross-section of food and the definition of masculinity, through some men’s fitness magazines among which “Men’s Health” and “Muscle and Fitness”.  Also the essay by Christopher Carrington “Feeding Lesbigay Families” deals with the survey between sexual genus and food: starting from the two most famous dichotomies who “hover” in our homes , in other words who cooks/who washes the dishes, who cooks/who does the shopping, Mr. Carrington investigates,  how the job preparing   food for a family can influence the formation of the genus and of the sexual identity and of the ethnic and social class of an individual.  “Food and culture” is a volume of a  wide-ranging work in the sense that it is also able to collect the global changes of the contemporareity provoked by the factor food, intended in all of its facets.  The third part of the anthology widens the survey to the identity processes tied to food and the “national” history of different countries, while the last section presents an accurate survey on the connection between the food industry (intended from the macro level, tied to the industrial production, to the micro level of fast food) and the transformations, that these provoke in the life of individuals, above all from the work and social point of view.

Sport

Golf a stream of water

Friends of golf, have you ever tried to hit a shot from a platform at the mercy of the waves?   As well as technically challenging, the experience is interesting and stimulating, especially if this is set against the backdrop of the lagoon of Venice, with St. Mark’s bell tower in the background.
The “Venice Golf Challenge”, with the final in the lagoon, took place on 26 stages, hosted in as many golf courses, selected from amongst the best in Italy, with participation from over three thousand competitors. Over one hundred finalists reached Venice and were hosted at the Molino Stucky Hilton and at Cà Zusto. Near the island of Certosa, a floating platoon was set-up, with two tee points and eight rafts in lagoon, with distances of 25, 50, 75 and 100 meters. Balls were hit towards these, and had to remain on the target base, shooting from a wharf  that was continuously moving with the waves.
Four tests were done, each of them included hitting four balls; all structured on three categories of players according to their handicaps. The results showed that the best test results depended on the true skill of the players. It was surprising to see the behavior of the players. Marco Spadotto, even with his unstable address, didn’t abandon his routine (for those who know his game, he has the habit of taking the test shot across the target line).  It was also interesting to see the behavior of the balls on the water: they were floating, even if they weigh a little bit less than the traditional ones (you couldn’t feel the difference by weighing them). “They should all be like these”, is what golf players agreed as they unwillingly left them in the ponds around the golf course.
The greatest applause goes to the creator of the event. 35 year old Andrea Chinellato, a true Venetian with a lot of determination, who is always smiling, and who undertook a lot in order to have the necessary authorization and to solve all the different problems he was presented with. The collaboration from the Pregio Hotel was also a determining factor in the success of the tournament. The weather was very good; a beautiful summer sun sweetened by a light sea breeze. The first in each category was awarded with a fabulous piece of  Murano glass ( glass plate) engraved by the famous glassworker teacher , Venetian Gianni Seguso.
The best in the first category were: Federico Biason, Lignano; Tullio Foresta, Olgiata; Stefano Masi, Castengaldolfo (who had thesame score with 36 points). In the second category Sergio Cesari, Bologna (15 points). In the third category Anna Bere, Ugolino (9 points). The play-off was played with powerful swings, shots of determination but also in the spirit of enjoyment, and saw Federico Biasion (16 years old), first in Jesolo, to win his first tournament, with 42 points.
At the end of the competition, six motorboats brought winners and fans to Murano, where, in the Murano Glass Gallery the prize giving ceremony took place accompanied by a delicious and sophisticated buffet. There were many generous sponsors, among which was ” Domina Vacanze”, that had an excellent staff of representatives to hand, who took care of the putting greens and offered beautiful prizes for a prize draw, such as three vacations in a luxurious hotel chain.
I have tried to convey the chronicle and the enthusiasm that I felt during this meeting and I hope to have succeeded in it. There is one other idea that I would like express: when I was invited to participate to this event, I immediately understood its importance. Here I saw an aspect that crosses the goliardic golf competition: the desire to appreciate Venice, the city that everyone loves, that the entire world envies us for, but that has left its treasures to languish for too long. On the island of “La Certosa”, where the logistic base of the competition was positioned, there was nothing up until not so long ago. It is an island, facing the entrance to the port of Lido with huge potential. Besides the nautical center “Vento di Venezia” that allowed the competition, and the Institute of graphics, it could lend itself to many other initiatives including a beautiful golf course.