Italian Blog
Camogli’s Fish Festival 2015 – The Shark and the Ark!
Every year on the first Sunday of May the town of Camogli celebrates a huge sagra (festival) that revolves around the frying of enormous amount of fish in a huge skillet (and we mean gigantic!) along with the traditional burning of a huge “falò” which is a themed structure built out of wood. Usually, they tend to be two structures which involve the preparation and participation of the local population (grown-ups and kids) in the building of these wood structures that are in the evening set on fire.
This year the subject matter was a shark and Noah’s Ark. As you can imagine the town is packed over the weekend when this event occurs so we avoid going to it like the plague!. But thanks to the collaboration of Betti’s sister we can offer these shots from the 2015 edition. Enjoy!
Photo credits: Simona Chiesi
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Giorgio Armani celebrates 40 years
As most of you know Elisabetta is a make-up artist since back when we meet in the early 90s. Last night there was a huge Event organized by Giorgio Armani to celebrate his 40 year’s in the business. Celebrities such as the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Tina Turner, Glenn Close, Lauren Hutton, Hillary Swank and many others were flown in from around the world for a Fashion show which was set for 8.30 pm along with a series of late night parties.
When these shows typically start Betti has to go early and join a team of 17 make-up under the guidance of Linda Cantello.
For those who are curious here is a glimpes of the backstage atmosphere at the end of the show:
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Gianni Berengo Gardin : Il Lavoro dell’Uomo
Last Friday I had the pleasure of coordinating and launching a live stream of an interview with one of Italy’s top notch photographers: Gianni Berengo Gardin. This is a project that we are working on in conjunction with a new portal site called Mooz (www.moozproject.it) which revolves around photographer and art in Italy and abroad. I would like to invite you to check out the youtube video of the Hangout on Air below (it’s in Italian but what better way to practice…no?)
For a short panorama of Gianni Berengo Gardin’s photographic story check out this video:
Nazim
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La Bossa was highlighted on Food and Booze
A couple of weeks ago we had the pleasure of visiting the lovely town of Camogli along with our dear friend Mia Voss (themiaconnect.com/) who was here on her #MiaOnTheGo tour. Have to say that the Easter weekend down in Liguria was super special and we were proud to host our friend in the beautiful setting that is Camogli.
We also took advantage of the situation and did a Food and Booze show from my brother in-laws restaurant in Camogli called La Bossa (www.labossa.it).
Check out the video on YouTube:
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Mia Voss in Italy!
This morning I was at the airport at 7am to pick up a dear friend Mia Voss from Denver, Colorado who is visiting Italy on here 50th Birthday celebration.She is a Entrepreneur, YouTube Host & Video Content Strategist. Mia will be celebrating her Birthday this Sunday along with Elisabetta Chiesi and Karin Valbrun who will be offering a full makeup and hair styling session as a Birthday present!
We will also be taking audience questions regarding makeup and hair since Betti and Karine are both professionally Makeup and Hair experts.
Check out the live event here: Live from Milan! The Mia Connect Power Chat – Weekend Edition
Apart from this Mia has a full itinerary which is covered in this great storyboard on her website: The Mia Connect: Mia on the go!
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“Una vita – A life” a great storytelling podcast to follow
We are super pleased to announce that our dear friend and radio personality Matteo Caccia is currently involved in a new program on Rai Radio 2 called “Una vita” which for the first time ever is available as an English version on the Itunes Store. This is a weekend (Saturday and Sunday) program which will last 6 months and revolves around the diverse phases of a life of a person by way of story telling at its best:
A trip to the age of each of us .
From zero to one hundred years.
Every human being is different from another, but the stages of life are similar for all.
The birth, the first memories, the school, the first kiss, the exams, the decisions to be taken, ends, the first changes, the work does not arrive and then finally, yes, the love that matures, the losses, the work ends, life as it is.
By way of Storytelling and mixed with documentary material that tells the story of twenty-five different people who are going through life in twenty-five different ages of their lives.
A journey of six months which revolves around who we were, what we are and perhaps what we will become.
Starting from zero and going to the end.
Different ages, different people, one life.
Una vita (a life) is a program created by Matteo Caccia, Tiziano Bonini, Mauro Pescio, Chiara Biffi. Conducted by Matteo Caccia on Radio Rai 2, directed by Guido Bertolotti and curated by Renzo Ceresa
Transmitted live in Italian Saturday and Sunday from 7pm till 7.30pm on Radio2 Rai.
The English version of the program in podcast here:http://unavita.blog.rai.it/english-podcast/
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Fashion Week 2015… and we survived at Casa Chiesi!
This last week is the typical Fashion Week in Milan where the city goes crazy and you tend to run into tons of female and male models running around with maps in their hands and ordering Cappuccino’s in the afternoon (a no-no in Italy!)
During this week I usually get my ears pulled (typical expression from my wife when I don’t help here out with the house chores!) for not paying attention to small details like what washing powder goes into the dishwater (yes, there is a risk that she comes home and finds the house like that scene from The Party with Peter Sellers…sorry for the film quality but it is the only one that shows what could happen at our house!)
For those who are a bit curious here are some shots from behind the scenes of a typical Fashion Show preparation prior to the 9 minutes which is how long they typically last:
Having met my wife in Miami Beach back in 1992 while she was visiting for a fashion shoot I still get excited when she shows me a very brief glimpse of that magic that she is able to do with her brushes and colors. Bella!
For those interested here is what happens in the front while Betti is in the back running around and retouching the girls.
Nazim
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The Zanetti Story : My director friend documentary
Last night I had the pleasure and joy of watching this wonderful documentary (directed and co-written by my dear friend Carlo Sigon) on a great soccer player from Argentina called Javier Zanetti. Their was a live satellite hookup in major theatres across Italy.
The movie is not your typical sports documentary since there is a parallel story of a fictional Argentinian writer that narrates the dreams and struggles of a young kid from the Buenos Aires all the way up to his arrival in Milan and the vast years as captain of F.C Inter of which he is currently Vice-President. He retired from active soccer play last year.
The great news as I wake up this morning is that Carlo called me up to tell me that the movie was the top box office hit across the whole country for a one day showing competing with the likes of Birdman and the Sponge Bob movie.
I know the amount of effort and work that Carlo put into this movie (extensive interviews with stars such as Lionel Messi, José Mourinho, Roberto Baggio,etc) Location filming both in Argentina and Italy. Great story with fantastic footage and photography.
Congratulations my friend! You deserve it!
Nazim
Additional clips:
Final game and goodbye:
Gol Highlights:
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Expo 2015 : Two months to go!
As most people around the world already know this year’s World Expo 2015 will be hosted in the city we call home: Milan, Italy. A great opportunity for us over at Casa Chiesi since we are lining up some interesting Events to show our friends abroad. This year’s theme centers around the topic of Food and Sustainability (Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life), which is a topic close to our hearts.
Their has been quite a lot of controversy regarding the construction firms involved in the construction of the Expo both from the point of view of corruption along with the issue of major delays in the delivery of the structures in question (kind of what occurred with the Brazilian World Cup and the stadiums that were hurried in a rush.) Hopefully this will all be sorted out by the opening since a lot of prestige surrounds the fact that a major city host an Expo.
The complex that will house the Expo is roughly 30 minutes away from the center of the city and covers a total of 490 acres. Close to 146 countries will be present and the opening date is from May 1st till October 31st, for a total of 6 months. We highly recommend that you book travel early since an expected 20 million visitors will be visiting the city during this time frame.
If anyone is planning to come and visit let us know since it is quite a happening and we would like to welcome you to it!
Expo 2015
Buy tickets: Tickets Online Expo 2015
Web site: Expo 2015
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The Yearly Charity Drive
Every year for the last 10 years (with slight interruptions for a small hiatus in the last two years) Elisabetta and I have joined a series of close friends(of which one of the original organisers and house provider Carlo Sigon – the man in the photo below) typically on the week after Christmas and run a Charity Event which consists of the following rules:
1. Bring three objects or gifts that you would like to get rid of. (typical stuff that you might have received and that you never found a place in the house for, an old object that is in the back of the garage that you noticed the other day and want to get rid of or you don’t use, etc.)
2. All these objects are placed on a big table for all to see. The person that brings the object puts a starting bid price after which people can increase and try to outbid the other participates usually on the basis of one euro increases (roughly a dollar and twenty cents).
3. If nobody wins the bid the person that put the price on the object has to re-buy it back at the price he indicated for the object. This is called a classic “boomerang” for obvious reasons.
This year we decided to do it in February since most of our friends were gone for the Holidays. Our dear friend Michele Rossi (in the photo) acts as auctioneer doing a great justice to the presentation of each item with comedy like approach that truly makes him a master (specially considering that he is an architect and their is a famous Italian comedian/actor in the group).
What started out as a small group of friends having an excuse to get together, drink and laugh has with time turned into a major event with more than 40 people in attendance and proceeds close to 2000$. Last night was no exception as you can see in the following photos.
Once we finish the Yearly Charity Event, a mailing list is generated and we pass the votes towards which charities to assign the proceeds in the following weeks. A great idea and tradition that is for a great cause and unifies friends on a fun evening!
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