"C" for "COFFEE"

I met my soul mate last year.  According to fortune he was on top of my journey's priorities. I recognized him immediately. We met in a Coffee Shop called "Bar Fortuna"!  

Coffee is my favorite beverage. I can drink several espressos in a day without any consequences. I love it!  So this morning within the coffee theme I wish to write about a special coffee shop. It's the one where I first met my soul mate. It is called 'Bar Fortuna' (Fortune Coffee Shop). How's that for a stroke of luck, my favorite coffee shop had a perfect name! How could this happen in my life? This is the beginning of the story. 

Back in 2011 I was exhausted by the events in Deruta. No one was listening to me. I was not happy with my tests with other workshops.  I was losing on all fronts. All doors were closed. So I decided to move to a different place in Italy. The first thing I did was to ask my friends if they knew of someone from whom I could rent an apartment. I was lucky as a friend had a place in Piegaro, which at the time I did not know other than the fact that it is home of a famous glass factory. So I moved to Piegaro.  

In Piegaro I spent a whole year continuing my reseach for Cama. It could not be the end. I started feeling much better in Piegaro. I made new friends, I loved talking to the eldely in the village and I enjoyed reading newspapers everyday at coffee shops there. I was missing meeting people at the workshop so much. I wanted to be around people. However looking for someone to date was the last of my thoughts. I was not in the mood. I couldn't keep my mind still. 

But one day in January last year all of a sudden something happened. I was at Bar Fortuna, one of the two coffee shops in Piegaro and I saw my soul mate walk towards me. In my mind's eye he was walking as if he was in slow motion, as if he were in a silent movie. Was I dreaming? 
Fortune was starting setting my priorities along my journey. On top of priorities was: Soul Mate. Thank you Bar Fortuna!  

This is my last post of short stories entitled "Cake Stands for Cama": stories about my favorites starting with "C".  
I hope you enjoyed it!

A NEW SERIES STARTING 2014. 




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THE CERAMICS LOVING CUPS TRADITION IN ITALY

In Italy at the end of the 15th-century gentlemen started offering ceramic loving cups as gifts o love to their beloved on specific occasions: weddings, engagements, baby showers and ballrooms. These pieces usually depicted a female bust and a flying ribbon around it with the compliments "Bella" (beautiful) or "Gentile" (kind).

Writings were varied: “Be Ludovica”,”Lorenza B”, “Maria”, “La Giulia Bella”. Sometimes we find writings like ”Orelia B e Momolo suo servo“(tr. Orelia B and Momolo her servant), “Memento”, where “Be” and “B” stands for “Bella”.

In early examples and later on, we can find the sweetheart's name only or symbols such as the heart perforated by a spike; the heart in flames or the two hands tightened together. Indeed the etymology of symbol is an exchange, woven.

The loving cups' origin is related to the change of attitude towards beauty and love in these centuries. Love was no longer concealed like it was in the Middle Ages and men wanted to make it eternal and show their feelings. The tradition started in Casteldurante (Urbania) in Le Marche and spread throughout Italy including Deruta. 

Loving cups were produced in several shapes, such as plates, spout pitchers, soup cups, amphoras, double handled vases and salt containers. According to the festivity, each loving cup had a different shape and usage.

As an example, the loving cup as a ballroom's memento was filled with almond candies and sweets and dedicated to a young lady. This is apparently how the wedding favors' tradition started.

On the contrary bride's loving cups were accompanied by a tablecloth with an equal inscription. The married couple would drink out of the same cup to ensure fertility.

In the Renaissance, loving cups became very popular and reached their most rich expressions in colors, details and shapes. Local famous artists such as Perugino (1450-1523) and Pinturicchio (1454-1513) were taken as examples for patterns and portrait styles.

Local craftsmen took inspiration from these artists and painted beautiful women. They had several examples of “Bella’s portraits so that the commissioners could have a choice. This might be the reason why many women did not match their contemporary sweethearts.

Portraits were painted in blue, yellow, brown and green on a dark blue ground, and covered with a high sheen glaze.
Classical literature was also a source of inspiration for the floral intricate patterns enriching portraits, especially when dedicated to engagements and weddings. Some examples of loving cups are painted with mythological stories with loving subjects.

The loving cups tradition lasted for a long time and examples in the 18th century can still be found. Several changes in styles have occurred over time. Interesting pieces belong to private collections and are part of important museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of New York and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

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"C" for 'CINNAMON'

 In times past cinnamon was a spice we didn't
 use much in Italy

My father Renato Niccacci visited me in the United States twenty years ago for Christmas. It was his first trip outside of Italy and he had never been on an aeroplane before. He changed flight in Amsterdam and landed in San Francisco with lots of luggage, carrying warm clothes for me, a torciglione homemade cake and above all his bike rider's uniform and accessories. 

We had planned to rent a bike for my father and my friends Nancy and Burt took him to Sausalito to the rental store. My father said the bike we rented for him was almost better than the one he had at home. So his adventures started and that day he went up Mount Tamalpais with his new friend Burt reviving his experience in the Dolomites. 

'Torciglione' is a traditional almond Christmas cake
from my region, Umbria,
shaped as a snake. It brings good luck!

2014 is going to be a good year for my father as he is going to take part in the annual Dolomitenradrundfahrt (bike tour in the Dolomites) July 27th-August 2nd again. He has done this tour for 22 years, however he was not able to take part in the last 5 years race. What warmed up his heart is that no one has taken the race number "1" in all these years out of respect as they considered Renato Niccacci still number "1" bike rider. 

My father enjoyed his visit to the United States very much. Something he discovered was a different food as we do not use the same spices at home. Discovering new horizons is very exciting and it's never too late!

This is my ninth post of short stories entitled "Cake Stands for Cama": stories about my favorites starting with "C".  
I hope you enjoyed it!

ONE MORE POST TO GO. DON'T MISS IT!




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"C" for " CARNIVAL"

The 'Flight of Columbine' officially opens the Venice Carnivals.
The next appointment is Sunday, February 23, 2014 

Latin people are famous because they wrote down everything they could. Who knows if we will also become eternal likewise for writing down words of wisdom on the social networks. 

One of the most famous quotes in Latin is Semel in Anno Licet Insanire (Eng.: once every year it is acceptable to be crazy), in so much crazy means that you go out of yourself, you are something else and you are allowed to break the rules. Which traditional social event is most appropriate to go crazy, that we can think of? It's Carnival time!  The Carnival of Venice is the most famous carnival in Italy and one of the most appreciated worldwide. 

The 'Flight of Columbine' is traditionally
known as 'Volo dell'Angelo' ( 'Flight of the Angel' )

It's interesting to know that this Latin saying was widely used in the Middle Ages and it's actually around the year 1000 that the Carnival of Venice was first established. The Romans originally inspired the Carnival of Venice and it cannot be a coincidence because Romans had strategic places in the Venice area. But the most interesting heritage I enjoy of Venetians even in everyday life is their joy and happiness, their love for good food and warmth, it's their getting on with people so easily. Venetians are really cool! 


Long live the Carnival of Venice and much honor to my friends in the Veneto region. I love you!

This is my eighth post of short stories entitled "Cake Stands for Cama": stories about my favorites starting with "C".  
I hope you enjoyed it!

TWO MORE POSTS TO GO. DON'T MISS THEM!





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"C" for " CUPCAKE"

Cupcakes

My niece is learning English in elementary school and noticed the other day that there is no fitting translation in Italian for the word 'cupcake'. She is right. Isn't she a good student. She remarked that her teacher used the world 'cupcake' without translating it when speaking Italian. Nevertheless dictionaries provide a correspondance to this word and translate 'cupcake' with 'tortina'. In one dictionary 'tortina' comes with the additional description: 'cotta in una mini forma'.   Therefore the full description would be 'tortina cotta in una mini forma' (mini pie baked in a small paper cup). On the internet 'cupcake' is described as a mini pie shaped as a cup and also as a mini pie fitting in a cup. 
As a matter of fact by translating cupcake we lose the flavor of this word, as to an Italian the word sounds very cute. It's just cute.  Is that maybe where the expression 'cutie pie' comes from? 
Therefore we could simply add 'cupcake' to the rest of loan words we have included in our vocabulary, a cultural exchange with the English language that has started back at the time of Adrian's wall. Languages are so beautiful and mouth-watering, I wish to know more and more. 

This is my seventh post of short  stories entitled "Cake Stands for Cama": stories about my favorites starting with "C".  
I hope you enjoyed it!







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Daydreaming about Cama

I have given my daydreaming experience a try
both in the virtual world and in reality.
I have been going through several tests. 
Herewith follow a few examples. 

Daydreaming is my favorite activity. When I visit a place, a community, a store, wherever I notice there could be an improvement or I envision potentialities, I wish I could be there in that moment. This is an example of how I see an outlet village, my favorite shopping destination. What is important is that I live in the outlet village. That would be much fun! 

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Last year I dreamt of getting the attention of an entire village in Italy to welcome customers. A projection of what I used to do at Cama as a shopping assistant but on a larger scale. 

Early this year I dreamt of being the art director of a group of artisans of different products. 

No matter how many doors have closed,
no matter how long it will take, the effort makes it worth it. It pays you back.

Assisting shoppers, caregiving and teaching are based on
the same rules.  These are my arts. They are accompanying me
towards new horizions for Cama. 

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Catherine wheels & other miracle stories

Stunning fireworks: human Catherine wheel 

St Catherine of Alexandria by Caravaggio, 1595-1596, Thyssen-Bournemisza Museum,
Madrid. St. Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of potters.  

A 'Catherine wheel' is a type of firework but originally it was St Catherine's torture device: a hooked wheel upon which bodies were restrained in a spreadeagle position. The Catherine wheel was better known as a breaking wheel and the name speaks for itself: we can imagine the painful saint's path to death as the expression 'coup de grâce' (tr. final straw) comes from this ancient punishment practice. But St Catherine escaped her death with the help of a miracle. According to the legend, the wheel of torture fell into pieces once St Catherine touched it. St Catherine of Alexandria is among the saints who didn't die as a consequence of the original death to which they were sentenced. Later on, St Catherine's wheel was translated into the potters' wheel and became a symbol of creativity. 

St. Sebastian by Perugino (1495 circa), Hermitage
Museum, St. Petersburg 

A similar story is that of St Sebastian. He also escaped his original punishment: shooting to death by arrows. St Sebastian's body was pierced with arrows like a strainer and left for dead but he recovered from his wounds. This is the reason why he was venerated as one of the anti-pestiferous saints and a symbol of a healthy body. St Sebastian is nowadays the patron saint of athletes.

St Januarius is the patron saint of Naples 
and of blood banks. 
Little holy picture. 

Lions were merciful to St Januarius (San Gennaro).  

The most famous saint who escaped his first sentence to death is probably St Januarius, affectionately known as San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples. He was originally thrown to the lions but the lions reacted as if they were not hungry that day. St Gennaro tamed the lions in some way and kneeled to the saint's charisma. 


St Catherine of Alexandria with St Sebastian and St Januarius were sentenced to death by martyrdom in the 4th century A.D. 

San Gennaro (St Januarius) is famous
for the annual miracle of
the liquefaction of his blood that takes
place in Naples every 19th September.

Last but not least is St Stephen's story, the closest saint to Jesus as he was the first martyr of the Christian church (36 A.D.). His legend is beautifully described by a series of frescoes in the Cathedral of Prato. St Stephen was originally sentenced to death by starvation when he was born. St Stephen was replaced with another child, so that his cradle was not empty, taken to the woods where no one would have looked for him. Here the saint was nurtured by a deer who saved st Stephen's life and he grew up as a healthy young man.  But St. Stephen's story is unique. 

St Stephen, fresco, Church of Villafranca Piemonte, Italy

Siena pattern by Cama, reproduction of sitting deers from the
marble Cathedral of Siena. St Stephen was saved by a deer as a newborn.
St Stephen is the patron saint of altar servers.

The saints' end of the story is a tragic one for in the 4th-century emperor Diocletianus sentenced to death the highest number of  Christians in all times. A few men and women did not die in the initial assault thanks to the miracles performed either by the saints themselves or by angels.
However, most of them were coldly beheaded later. Had I been them I would not have argued with the Emperor again. Then I would have lived!  I would have proved that miracles do exist. Miracles are a true blessing and a wonderful gift that can be expressed and shared in many ways. 

'St Stephen Born and Replaced by Another Child' by Filippo Lippi, 1452-1465,  Cathedral of Prato, Italy  (on the right the deer watching over St Stephen and waiting for him in the woods where he was taken to die of starvation). 

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