Terrace Top Aperitivo - June 16, 2022

We're back with our aperitivo get-togethers, and now that it's gotten hotter, we'll head to a terrace top to cool off in the early evening! This location near Saint Paul's Basilica has had great reviews thanks to the quality of their drinks and food options, like the "super piattone per 2" (platter of appetizers for 2) and the "piattone vegetariano" (vegetarian platter for 1). Let us know whether you'd like us to book you a spot!

When: Thursday, June 16, 2022
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: top floor of Angeli Rock, Via Ostiense 193 B/C/D-195 (near Parco Schuster and Basilica di San Paolo), tel. 0686708250
Cost: No host. Each participant will be responsible for their own bill. Menu includes a wide assortment of cocktails and snack foods.
RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by 14 June.

CCR Book Club - June 25, 2022

The book pick for June's rooftop lunchtime meeting is "Apeirogon" by Irish author Colum McCann. The Guardian review calls it "a beautifully observed masterpiece" that "takes its inspiration from the real-life friendship between a Palestinian, Bassam Aramin, and an Israeli, Rami Elhanan" whose daughters were killed in separate but profoundly linked incidents.

When: Saturday, June 25, 2022
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Where: Piazza Cavour area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Lunch: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be preparing for 6 people.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

Genzano Art & Wine TAKE TWO! - June 5, 2022

Our first, very small-group visit to Palazzo Jacobini filled up so quickly that we've decided to do a second take and give more members and friends the opportunity to go on this outing to the Castelli Romani for some fabulous wine, art and fun socializing!

...

If your family had a tradition of making its own award-winning wine that dated back to 1680 only to be interrupted during the Second World War, wouldn't you dream of reviving it? Those were exactly the sentiments that motivated the Carafa Jacobini family to embark on the shift from being part of a wine grape-growing coop to being sole producers once again. Now the 2021 vintage of "Jacobini IGP Lazio" organic white wine is ready to be shared with us, too!

Nina and Alessandro in their vineyard

So we're heading to Genzano, in the Castelli Romani hills, for a very special experience. Alessandro Carafa Jacobini and Nina Farrell will welcome us into their family's private 17th-century home, Palazzo Jacobini, in the centre of Genzano, and we'll view the art collection Alessandro's family has assembled over the decades. During our visit, we will taste Jacobini wine and make an aperitivo of it in the Sala Pio IX room, where the wine will be paired with local artisan cheese, meats and breads, along with a tasting of their organic olive oil.

Just 3300 bottles have been produced of their 2021 vintage. Starting in 2019 they selected the best Procanico plants (a variety of Trebbiano Toscano) by hand from their Poggio del Cardinale vineyard. The final product reflects the volcanic terroir of the Castelli, producing a fresh, crisp but balanced white. At the end of our visit it will also be possible to purchase the wine at a special price for CCR members.

After our lovely art visit and aperitivo, we'll stroll over to a nearby restaurant for a set meal including a primo, a secondo, wine (another local organic Trebbiano -- for the sake of comparison!) and water. Nina and Alessandro can provide suggestions if you'd like to explore the area further on your own after lunch.

When: Sunday, June 5, 2022
Time: doors open at 11 and tour starts at 11:15 sharp

Where: Genzano centre; the exact address will be sent by email to confirmed participants.
Transportation: by your own means.
Cost: €40 per person including the art tour, wine tasting, aperitivo, and set lunch. CCR members and guests of members only. Advance payment is required.
RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com

CCR Book Club: Meet the Author Event - May 24, 2022

For the month of May, the CCR Book Club has organized a Meet the Author Event with Connie Guzzo-McParland, an Italian-Canadian living in Montreal. She is in Italy to promote “Le Donne di Saturno” published by Rubbettino. This Italian novel combines her two English novels "The Girls of Piazza Amore" and "The Women of Saturn". Taken together, the two English novels describe the process of emigration from Calabria to Canada, including memories of life in a small Calabrian village, the crossing from Naples to Halifax, and the lives of three Italian-Canadian women in Montreal. It is a story that goes back and forth between Calabria and Montreal, the past and the present, old ways and new ways.

This event is open to all CCR members.

When: Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. 
Where: by Zoom or potluck in person (limit 10 people); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

Official Season Closing Party - May 26, 2022

The club season closing party of the CCR this year will return to the delightful gardens of Villa Laurier, thanks to the generous welcome of Canada's Representative to the Holy See, Paul Gibbard, and of Debbie Desrosiers, to their Official Residence.

Enjoy drinks and a wide variety of elegant appetizers with members and friends as we toast the approaching end of the club season and the start of summer.

Drinks:

Prosecco Superior di Valdobbiadene

Spritz

Assorted fruit juices

Still and sparkling water

White wine: Vermentino Santa Maria La palma

Red wine: Chianti Colonneto

Finger food:

Battered vegetables (fried on site)

Potato, provola cheese and speck bites 

Crunchy mini panzerotti

Cheese and walnut crunch

Savoury skewers

Assorted canapés

Puff pastry savouries

Smoked salmon pockets with creamy filling

Fruit skewers

Assortment of mini sweets

During our closing party we will be selling raffle tickets at €10 each to raise funds for Ukrainian war relief through the dedicated channel of the Italian Red Cross. Prizes include a generous Air Canada voucher and fine art prints from the Art4Ukraine exhibition here in Rome. If you would like to contribute to this cause but cannot attend the closing event in person, just let us know by email in advance and we can add the desired number of raffle tickets with your name to the draw, which will take place at the end of the evening.  

When: Thursday, May 26, 2022
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: The gardens of the Official Residence of Canada's Representative to the Holy See, Via di Porta San Sebastiano (exact address and details will be sent to confirmed participants only).
Cost: CCR members €40 each, guests €45 each, including all food and drinks. Advance payment required.
N.B. This event is open to guests only if accompanied by fully paid and registered CCR members.
Security: Mandatory registration of all participants. Please note that due to security requirements we will need the full name of each person attending at the time of booking. Also, you are required to have photo ID on the evening of the event. Anyone not on the guest list will be denied admission.
RSVP and payment no later than Friday, May 20th to canadarome@gmail.com, or until sold out. You are financially responsible for your reservation. Space is limited, so pre-pay a.s.a.p.

Genzano Art & Wine - May 15, 2022

N.B. This event is now full. Wait list only.

If your family had a tradition of making its own award-winning wine that dated back to 1680 only to be interrupted during the Second World War, wouldn't you dream of reviving it? Those were exactly the sentiments that motivated the Carafa Jacobini family to embark on the shift from being part of a wine grape-growing coop to being sole producers once again. Now the 2021 vintage of "Jacobini IGP Lazio" organic white wine is ready to be shared with us, too!

Nina and Alessandro in their vineyard

So we're heading to Genzano, in the Castelli Romani hills, for a very special experience. Alessandro Carafa Jacobini and Nina Farrell will welcome us into their family's private 17th-century home, Palazzo Jacobini, in the centre of Genzano, and we'll view the art collection Alessandro's family has assembled over the decades. During our visit, we will taste Jacobini wine and make an aperitivo of it in the Sala Pio IX room, where the wine will be paired with local artisan cheese, meats and breads, along with a tasting of their organic olive oil.

Just 3300 bottles have been produced of their 2021 vintage. Starting in 2019 they selected the best Procanico plants (a variety of Trebbiano Toscano) by hand from their Poggio del Cardinale vineyard. The final product reflects the volcanic terroir of the Castelli, producing a fresh, crisp but balanced white. At the end of our visit it will also be possible to purchase the wine at a special price for CCR members.

After our lovely art visit and aperitivo, we'll stroll over to a nearby restaurant for a set meal including a primo, a secondo, wine (another local organic Trebbiano -- for the sake of comparison!) and water. Nina and Alessandro can provide suggestions if you'd like to explore the area further on your own after lunch.

When: Sunday, May 15, 2022
Time: doors open at 11 and tour starts at 11:15 sharp

Where: Genzano centre; the exact address will be sent by email to confirmed participants.
Transportation: by your own means.
Cost: €40 per person including the art tour, wine tasting, aperitivo, and set lunch. CCR members only. Advance payment is required.
RSVP to Anna at canadarome@gmail.com by May 11th, 2022.

CCR Walks: Father Tiber, the past and the future of the city - May 22, 2022

Come explore the Tiber River and its many twists and turns. During this walk we will travel back to the very origins of the city and explore its many surprising stories. This jaunt along the Tiber will also be a tribute to spring and its everlasting promise of hope. For those who want, we will end with a short cruise by boat.

When: Sunday, May 22nd
Time: 10:00 
Meeting Place: Confirmed participants will be informed by email of the exact location.  
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. There will be an additional cost for radio transmitters, which will be advised. 
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Wednesday, May 18, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Book Club - April 26, 2022

The CCR Book Club is reading a classic novel, "Pereira Maintains" ("Sostiene Pereira" in Italian), by Antonio Tabucchi, this month.

When: Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. 
Where: by Zoom or potluck in person (limit 10 people); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Walks: Rome off the beaten track - The Two Faces of Tufello - April 10, 2022

Our next CCR walk will delve into a little-known neighborhood which does not figure in any of Rome's guidebooks but nevertheless has become the subject of interest among its inhabitants, particularly Rome's graffiti artists. Join us as we explore its quirky "barocchetto" architecture (a type of architecture introduced to Rome in the 1920s which borrowed elements from the 1500s to the 1700s as well as the concept of garden cities) and investigate Italy's 20th century history and its contradictions, by looking at "two-faced Tufello."

When: Sunday, April 10, 2022
Time: 10 a.m. 
Meeting Place: Confirmed participants will be informed by email of the exact location.  
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. There will be an additional cost for radio transmitters to be advised.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Wednesday, April 6, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

Gallery Aperitivo & Talk - April 7, 2022

The long history of classic Italian art history is renowned, but how much do you know about contemporary art in Italy? Francesco Zero will welcome us into his private art gallery for drinks and a talk on art movements from the post-WWII period to the present. He will address the fundamental question of "What is art?" in viewers' perceptions and reactions. Along with co-owner Pino Purificato, Francesco will also relate the works of other Italian figurative artists to those of Pino's father, Domenico Purificato, who was a prominent figure in Italian neorealist painting and film.

This talk will be in Italian, with consecutive translation into English or French as needed. Light refreshments will be served.

When: Thursday, April 7, 2022

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Where: Galleria Purificato Zero, Via Bisagno 11 (Piazza Istria/Corso Trieste metro)

Cost: Free.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by noon on the 6th of April. Green Passes/Proof of vaccination will be checked and COVID-19 containment measures will be respected.

Verona Wine Tasting Trip - March 19, 2022

We're going to wine and dine in Verona! If you love Amarone, Ripasso, Valpolicella and other fine wines from the Veneto region, this is your chance to indulge. Our sommelier, Cynthia Chaplin, has organized a wonderful wine tasting and dinner for us at a lovely little osteria off the beaten track in Verona, where we'll have a private space and fabulous food during a very special exploration of wines from the area. She'll guide us as we taste 5 to 6 Veneto wines and enjoy a set menu – a generous tagliere (charcuterie board) to share for a starter, a choice of two primi, a choice of two secondi, and dessert. It promises to be an fascinating and unique wine tasting experience.

Easy to reach from Rome by fast train, Verona itself is famed for its history and romance, so make a long weekend of this opportunity! Participants can organize their own transportation and accommodation, but we'll coordinate once there to maximize our culinary explorations. The set wine tasting and meal event will be on a Saturday evening.

Space for the wine tasting dinner is limited, so book soon!

When: Saturday, March 19, 2022
Time:  evening – exact time to be confirmed
Where: Verona – details on the restaurant for the tasting will be sent to confirmed participants separately.
Cost: €75 person – includes wine tasting guided by Cynthia (5-6 wines) and dinner. Advance payment for the set wine tasting dinner required. 
RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Linda by COB on Fri. the 11th of March. Green Passes/Proof of vaccination will be checked and COVID-19 containment measures will be respected.

Cynthia Chaplin is a Vinitaly International Academy certified Wine Ambassador, a professional sommelier with Fondazione Italiana Sommelier and with the Worldwide Sommelier Association, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a professor of Italian wine and culture. Besides writing articles about wine for magazines and websites, she judges at international wine and sake competitions, and she consults with restaurants and enotecas on developing their wine lists and food pairings. Cynthia is currently a Project Manager and Educator for Vinitaly International Academy, and host on the Voices Series for The Italian Wine Podcast.

CCR Book Club - March 30, 2022

The CCR Book Club is going to read "The Girl With the Louding Voice" by Nigerian author Abi Daré for the March meeting. As explained by the Guardian review, it introduces us to the story of Adunni, "a 14-year-old girl who lives in a small town several hours’ drive from Lagos. Although she is a minor, she is about to be illegally married off to raise money for her father. Her bride price will be used to pay the family’s rent, among other things."

When: Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Time: 7 p.m. 

Where: by Zoom or potluck in person (limit 10 people); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

Brazilian Vibes Lunch Aperitivo - March 5, 2022

Let's resume our ethnic aperitivo get-togethers with an outdoor lunchtime date, now that conditions are stabilizing and spring is approaching! We'll channel the sunny vibes at a colourful Brazilian-style boteco (tavern) for informal drinks and snacks and finally get a much needed chance to meet outdoors and face-to-face. Come early for a quick drink and savoury appetizer or stay on for lunch.

The eatery also has spacious rooms with tropical décor if the weather doesn't cooperate and we need to retreat indoors!

When: Saturday, March 5, 2022
Time: 12 noon
Where: Manioka Boteco Brasileiro, Viale Aventino 40 (near Circo Massimo metro)
Cost: No host. Each participant will be responsible for their own bill. Non-alcoholic beverages €3, beer €4.50, appetizers like manioc/cassava fries and croquettes €4-7, and Japanese-Brazilian sushi rolls €5.50 and up.
RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Anna by noon on Fri. the 4th of March. Green Passes/Proof of vaccination will be checked and COVID-19 containment measures will be respected.

Guest Speaker: Violin Maker Bernard Neumann - March 15, 2022

Photo: Chris Warde-Jones

You may know that Cremona is the luthier powerhouse of Italy (and perhaps of the world), but did you realize that one of the city's most famous violin makers is a fellow Canadian? This Q&A with forty-year Cremona resident Bernard Neumann will be moderated by Canadian foreign correspondent and CCR member Megan Williams, who recently interviewed him for the CBC. Our talk will include demonstrations and a special appearance by Bernard's wife Alessandra Pedota, also a renowned luthier!

Send us any questions you'd like answered, along with your reservation.

When: Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Time: 6 p.m. (Italian time) 
Meeting Place: wherever you are -- remote talk on Zoom.
Cost: free
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle.

CCR Walks: Caesar's Trail - March 13, 2022

"Beware the Ides of March!" In preparation for one of Rome's most famous and momentous dates, March 15th of year 44 BC, we will trace the career of arguably the most influential Roman, Julius Caesar. The walk will string together places in Rome linked to his last days, and to the events which led to his sudden death. Admirers and critics, writers, poets, and politicians who wrote about him will help us unravel a legacy he would hardly have dared to dream of.

When: Sunday, March 13, 2022
Time: 10 a.m. 
Meeting Place: Confirmed participants will be informed by email.  
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. There will be an additional cost for radio transmitters which will be advised to participants.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Wednesday, March 9, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Online Wine Class: Deep Dive into Sangiovese - February 19, 2022

Find out what’s new about Sangiovese, Italy’s best known and much loved indigenous grape. Known for its versatility, Sangiovese is the most cultivated red grape variety in Italy and has given birth to many famous wines. In this lecture and wine tasting with our sommelier, Cynthia Chaplin, we’ll delve deep into Sangiovese and take a look at this famous grape both inside and outside of Tuscany.

When: Saturday, February 19, 2022
Time: 6-7:30p.m.
Where: on Zoom
Cost: €10 for members, €12 for non-members; advance payment required to confirm your place. 
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Linda by Wed. February 16, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation. Book soon, as the number of participants is limited for this interactive class.
 
Cynthia Chaplin is a Vinitaly International Academy certified Wine Ambassador, a professional sommelier with Fondazione Italiana Sommelier and with the Worldwide Sommelier Association, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a professor of Italian wine and culture. Besides writing articles about wine for magazines and websites, she judges at international wine and sake competitions, and she consults with restaurants and enotecas on developing their wine lists and food pairings. Cynthia is currently a Project Manager and Educator for Vinitaly International Academy, and host on the Voices Series for The Italian Wine Podcast.

CCR Talks: The Gardens of Caligula - February 16, 2022

Come explore with us the luxurious gardens of the wayward Emperor Caligula (37-41 AD), recreated in Rome's newest museum-cum-archeological site, the Museo Ninfeo. The complex is a veritable gift to those passionate about urban history. It features a state-of-the-art exhibition/site set up near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II after over ten years of careful excavation, carried out while a modern building rose over the dig on the site of a bombed-out building. Let’s go!

When: Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Time:  18:30 (lecture duration is approx. 75 minutes)
Meeting Place: on Zoom
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Saturday, February 12, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Book Club - February 26, 2022

Although "Mrs March" by Virginia Feito is set in mid-20th-century New York City, the Guardian review says this "brilliant psychological study" is "essential reading for the social media era." For their February discussion, the CCR Book Club has chosen this novel by a young Spanish-born, Paris- and London-educated author. Released in 2021, the screen adaptation is already in the works.

When: Saturday, February 26, 2022
Time: 1 p.m. 
Where: by Zoom or in person (limit 10 people); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Book Club - January 29, 2022

NB Change of book choice.

In January the CCR Book Club is going to read "China Room" by British author Sunjeev Sahota. The Washington Independent reviewer says "dual narratives intertwine in this mesmerizing tale of ancestry and endurance" and that it resonates because "we all come from ancestors whose seemingly unendurable suffering enabled us to live our present lives."

When: Saturday, January 29, 2022
Time: 1 p.m. 
Where: by Zoom or in person (Pantheon area, limit 10 people); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Online Wine Class: Italy vs France - January 15, 2022

Italy and France are two of the finest wine producers in the world. What is unique about each? Is one better than the other? Our sommelier, Cynthia Chaplin will take us on a ’wine tour’ of these two great wine producing countries from the comfort of our homes. Prior to the class, Cynthia will recommend a selection of wines, allowing participants to purchase whichever ones they wish to taste. Join us in discovering, enjoying, and learning more about wine. 

 
When: Saturday, January 15, 2022
Time: 6-7:30p.m.
Where: on Zoom
Cost: €10 for members, €12 for non-members; advance payment required to confirm your place. 
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Linda by Wed. January 12, 2022. You are financially responsible for your reservation. Book soon, as the number of participants is limited for this interactive class.
 
Cynthia Chaplin is a Vinitaly International Academy certified Wine Ambassador, a professional sommelier with Fondazione Italiana Sommelier and with the Worldwide Sommelier Association, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a professor of Italian wine and culture. Besides writing articles about wine for magazines and websites, she judges at international wine and sake competitions, and she consults with restaurants and enotecas on developing their wine lists and food pairings. Cynthia is currently a Project Manager and Educator for Vinitaly International Academy, and host on the Voices Series for The Italian Wine Podcast.