Season Closing Party - June 19, 2018

Here's our big cocktail party as we come to the end of the 2017-2018 CCR club season! We're going to be back at the beautiful location of the Official Residence of H.E. Alexandra Bugailiskis, Canada's Ambassador to Italy.

Don't miss this opportunity to talk about all the events we've enjoyed this season and share our plans for the summer break.

Open Bar
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails

Soft drinks
Water flavoured with the "scents of the season”
Prosecco Extra Dry “Villa Sala”
Red and white wines: DOC Maremma, Pashà Toscana, Casale Vallechiesa Castelli Romani
Still and sparkling mineral water

Finger food
Biscuits filled with garlic green sauce
Savoury mini muffins with speck, zucchini & cheese
Smoked salmon pastry rolls
Panzanella (bread salad) with pesto
Elbow pasta with red peppers, capers, olives, basil & crunchy bread crumbs
Seafood cous-cous
Cod "Saltimbocca"
Turkey breast with citrus dressing

Sweets
Coffee & peanut butter mousse

Mango & mint mousse
Coconut & rum truffles

When: Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: The gardens of Villa Grandi, the Official Residence of the Ambassador of Canada to the Italian Republic, Via di Porta Latina (exact address and parking details will be sent to confirmed participants only).
Cost: CCR members €30 each, guests €40 each, including all food and drinks (open bar). 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 list will be denied admission.
RSVP and payment to canadarome@gmail.com no later than 5 p.m. June 15th or until sold out. You are financially responsible for your reservation. Space is limited, so pre-pay a.s.a.p.

CCR Book Club - June 20, 2018

In the month of June the book club will discuss a book of historical fiction, "The Daughters of Palatine Hill" by Phyllis Smith.

Goodreads writes: "Two years after Emperor Augustus’s bloody defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, he triumphantly returns to Rome. To his only child, Julia, he brings an unlikely companion -- Selene, the daughter of the conquered Egyptian queen and her lover. Under the watchful eye of Augustus’s wife, Livia, Selene struggles to accept her new home among her parents’ enemies."

When: Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Via Bravetta area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Dinner: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be preparing for 6 people.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Book Club - May 25, 2018

Our May book is "The Sympathizer" by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This is the author’s first novel and it is set in Vietnam and the United States. Since it’s a very long book it may be best to start reading it as soon as possible. The New York Times review was favourable. You may also want to read more on the Fall of Saigon to the Viet Cong.

When: Friday, May 25, 2018
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Historic centre; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Dinner: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be preparing for 6 people.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

Jazz Love: The Canadian Songbook - May 3, 2018

Another great opportunity to take in Canadian culture right here in Rome.

Two of Canada's most celebrated and original jazz artists are making their debut together at the Rome Auditorium on May 3rd, as part of the Auditorium's "Jazz Love" series. Collectively, singer/pianist Elizabeth Shepherd and guitarist Michael Occhipinti have earned 12 JUNO Award nominations, and they have begun work on their first joint album celebrating the vibrant music that came out of Toronto’s Yonge Street in the 1960s. Both have been praised by critics for their imaginative original music and interpretations of popular songs, and for their Rome show they’ll be exploring the Canadian Songbook.

But the CCR also has the very special opportunity to welcome a limited number of people to meet Elizabeth and Michael at a pre-show, backstage artist talk! This is your chance to learn more about these performers' creative process and ask questions about both their music and careers. If you're a musician yourself, they'll be happy to give tips and share stories.

Elizabeth and Michael love chocolate cake almost as much as they love jazz!

To see some videos of their work, please visit this page.

About Elizabeth Shepherd:  “Whether you’re a hipster, a purist or a Diana Krall-loving softie, she will win you over.” 

~Montreal Gazette
Michael Occhipinti:  “This is really why we listen to music: to be surprised and lifted up, stripped of our preconceptions and left breathless by hearing something brand new. Big props to Michael Occhipinti and all the players for taking jazz into a new room” 

Bill Bentley - Sonic Boomer 

When: Thursday, May 3, 2018

Time: Concert starts at 9 p.m.; pre-show artist talk (only those on CCR list) from 8 to 8:45 p.m. (details sent to confirmed participants).

Where: Teatro Studio Borgna inside the Auditorium Parco della Musica complex, Viale Pietro de Coubertin 30; pre-show artist talk in a backstage room.

Cost:  €15; purchase your own tickets before the concert. See this page.

RSVP for the pre-show artist talk: to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Anna. Spaces are limited so reserve early. Open to both CCR members and friends but for security reasons your names must be on the CCR list in order to be admitted to the artist talk.

NB: Remember that you are responsible for purchasing your own tickets to the performance.

Rose Photo Expedition - May 5, 2018

Are you familiar with Rome's rose garden on the Aventine Hill? Did you know it is home to over a thousand different rose varieties -- including some very unusual ones -- and that it hosts a prestigious annual rose competition? The area also has a fascinating history, which is commemorated in some of its design features. Above all, you can imagine it's a fabulous spot for nature photography.

Join Anna on a photo expedition to capture interesting shots of the gorgeous blooms and the historic surroundings, garner cyber love from your Instagram followers... and maybe even take an old-fashioned souvenir photo to send to family and friends back home!

When: Saturday, May 5th
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Where: Look for Anna at the entrance of the "upper" section of the City Rose Garden (Roseto Comunale di Roma), Via di Valle Murcia 6 (nearest metro stop: Circo Massimo)
Admission: Free

CCR Talks: A Doctor on the Frontline - May 17, 2018

Ambassador Dennis Savoie and Madame Claudette Savoie have  kindly offered the hospitality of their residence on May 17th for an informal talk regarding a doctor’s experience with MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières - Doctors without Borders) and other international organizations in Africa. Our friend Maurizio Bagarani will be pleased to share with us his many years of humanitarian work in the field through images and inspiring stories, while providing us with an insight into the world of volunteers who spend part of their lives helping countries stricken by war, unrest and famine.

A Q&A session will follow. 

When: Thursday, May 17th
Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Residence of Canada's Ambassador to the Holy See (near Porta San Sebastiano); exact address details sent to confirmed participants.
Cost: Free.                                     
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle, providing your full name in advance. For security reasons participants may be asked to provide ID in order to enter the premises.

CCR Wine tasting in Tuscany - May 26, 2018

Our wine tastings for this season will end with a return visit to the Tuscan estate of Sassotondo. We were so warmly welcomed there by owners Carla Benini and Edoardo Ventimiglia in 2011 that we’ve decided to go back and see how their vintages have evolved! We’ll start with a tour of their ancient cellar, located in the countryside of Sovana (Grosseto), followed by tasting an excellent selection of their wines, under the expert supervision of CCR sommelier Daniele Maestri. This will be followed by a delicious light lunch of local specialties.

Please note that numbers for this outing are limited.

Lunch Menu
Antipasti of local salami and cheeses
Tortelli burro e salvia (butter & sage)
Sfratto (local Jewish dessert) and coffee

In the afternoon you may want to tour the nearby hilltop town of Pitigliano or go to the thermal baths at Saturnia. Or you could stay in the area for the whole weekend!

When: Saturday, May 26, 2018
Where: Sassotondo Estate, owned by Carla Benini & Edoardo Ventimiglia, in Sovana (province of Grosseto), Tuscany
Transportation & Timing: By car (please carpool). Confirmed/paid participants will be sent exact directions. Be ready to start our visit at Sassotondo by 11:00 am (therefore plan to leave Rome by 8:45 am).
Cost: €40 for members (€45 for non-members). Advance payment is required.
RSVP to Linda and Paul at canadarome@gmail.com. Please indicate whether you need help finding a ride or rather have room in your car to offer a lift to others. You are financially responsible for your booking.

Some images from our May 2011 visit to Sassotondo

CCR Walks: Slavery in Ancient Roman Times - May 20, 2018

Termini Station offers a good starting place to discuss a theme which underpinned much of the ancient world’s economy: slavery. During the course of the walk we will also look at whether the modern world could learn anything from the past as it struggles to deal with human trafficking, exploitation, xenophobia, and unemployment.

When: Sunday, May 20, 2018
Time: 10 a.m.
Where: Near Termini train station; exact location will be sent to confirmed participants by email.
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members. There will also be a museum entrance fee of €10 to visit the Baths of Diocletian.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Tuesday, May 15, 2018. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

CCR Day Trip: The Monasteries of Subiaco - May 12, 2018

Let’s channel "The Name of the Rose" during a very special visit of the monasteries of Subiaco, in the Province of Rome. Come with the CCR on a springtime trip, with guided tour in English, to the Monasteries of St. Scholastica and St. Benedict in this ancient hilltop town.

The religious order founded around 500 AD by St. Benedict grew around a cluster of twelve monasteries. The Monastery of St. Scholastica is the only one of those first twelve to survive, thus making it the oldest Benedictine monastery in the world today. It boasts a lovely Cosmateque cloister, a frescoed church, and a medieval bell tower. The monastery named after the founder of the order, the Monastery of St. Benedict, was built in the XII century over the cave where Benedict had been a hermit for three years. Once again, astounding frescoes cover the walls of monks' cells and chapels, including the earliest known image of St. Francis of Assisi, a living portrait dating to his retreat here in the early 13th century. During its history, the monastery survived floods, earthquakes and the scandalous behaviour of certain monks until its monastic community was reformed in 1363, including the arrival of religious brothers from other parts of Europe. Among these were Germans in the XV century who brought the new art and technology of the printing press, making the Lazio Region the heart of printing in Italy for centuries.

Not only will participants be able to discover the mysterious and sacred areas of the monasteries but they will also admire the recently restored Chapel of the Angels, the Refectory and the magnificent library with unique manuscripts from the medieval era. After our visit which will last approximately 3.5 hours, a lunch will be hosted in the “Foresteria” -- or guesthouse -- of the monastery complex.

When: Saturday, May 12, 2018
Transportation, Meeting Point & Timing: By car (please carpool). Meet in the parking lot of San Benedetto (this is the abbey that is the one further up from Santa Scolastica) by 8:45. Confirmed participants will be sent further information regarding the meeting point.
Cost: for the two visits €15 per person; €20 for lunch for adults, €14 for child menu. Advance payment is required.
NB: Book early as space is limited and remember that you are financially responsible for your booking.
RSVP to Marielle at canadarome@gmail.com, specifying whether you would also like to come to lunch; also, please indicate whether you need help finding a lift or rather have room in your car to offer a lift to others.

Sip and Munch at the Market - March 28, 2018

Have you ever explored the "Mercato Centrale" within Termini station? Still unfamiliar to many, this cathedral-sized venue for food delicacies was inaugurated over a year ago and provides a vibrant focal point for the best street food and market produce the city has to offer.

We'll be meeting informally for a drink and... a snack, an aperitivo, a full dinner? It all depends on you. After getting a glass from Luca Boccoli's selection of vintages, you can choose among street food favourites like Stefano Callegari's Trapizzino, Bonci's deluxe pizza al taglio, Roman fried artichokes, or Sicilian arancini and other fried treats. Then there are vegetarian and vegan specialties, Pier Daniele Seu's renowned pizza tonda, cheese boards, fresh fish, hamburgers made with prime Chianina beef, Japanese ramen... Of course, you could also pick up the best possible ingredients to make your own feast at home later on!

When: Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Time: 7 p.m. on (the Mercato Centrale is open until midnight)
Meeting point: Luca Boccoli's wine bar inside the "Mercato Centrale" -- Via G. Giolitti 36 (southern side of Termini train station); depending on numbers, we may move from the limited seating of the bar area to one of the larger seating areas as participants start getting their drinks and food.
Cost: Each pays for their own order(s).

CCR Walks: Garbatella Neighborhood - April 7, 2018

Garbatella, now a hip neighborhood, has a turbulent past. At the start of the last century, when it was first built, it was populated by newly arrived immigrants to Roma Capitale and became a hotbed of dissent during the Fascist period and of leftwing anti-government opposition during the postwar years. Its distinctive architecture also marks it as one of Rome’s few urban planning experiments in popular (public) housing, inspired by “Garden City” models and 20th century modernism. During the course of the walk, we will look at the many strands of Rome’s recent history and ways in which the past has been recorded in official and non-official ways in this highly distinctive, edgy neighborhood.

When: Saturday, April 7, 2018
Time: 10 a.m.
Where: Near the Garbatella metro station; exact location will be sent to confirmed participants by email.
Cost: €10 for members and €15 for non-members.
RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Joe by Tuesday, April 3, 2018. You are financially responsible for your reservation.

Movie Afternoon in French - March 18, 2018

We're going to see a movie in French! "Les Mauvaises herbes" is a Quebec comedy by director Louis Bélanger, starring Alexis Martin, Gilles Renaud and Emmanuelle Lussier-Martinez.

Jacques is a stage actor who's struggling under a huge debt burden owed to Patenaude, a Montreal loan shark. While running away from the mobster at his heels, he ends up, in the middle of winter, on land belonging to Simon, a quasi-hermit with a totally illegal marijuana grow-op.

The movie will be shown in the original French-language version, with Italian sub-titles. Part of the IX edition of the FRANCOFILM festival. 

When: Sun., Mar. 18, 2018
Time & Meeting Point: meet Marielle and Michèle in front of the Centre at 4:45 pm. The movie starts at 5.
Where: Institut français Centre Saint Louis, Largo Toniolo 22 (between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon).
Cost: Admission is free, while seats last.

CCR Wine Tasting: We are going white! - March 17, 2018

This time we'll be sampling only white wines all evening! They all come from the northern part of Italy and we'll get to compare those from the north-west with those from the north-east.

Where: Residence of CCR members (Piazza Barberini area) - exact address will be sent to registered participants.
When: Saturday, March 17, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost:  €25 for members, €35 for non-members
RSVP to Linda and Paul by Wednesday March 14 at canadarome@gmail.com. Please note that you are financially responsible for your reservation.

Each session is given in French and Italian and focuses on a specific theme relative to Italian wines.

Daniele Maestri, well-known Italian sommelier and a favorite among CCR members for his knowledgeable and lively presentations, will again lead this lecture and wine-tasting. For those interested in ‘wining and dining’, Daniele writes in-depth articles on Italian wines and food for “Bibenda – Vini D’Italia” produced by the Italian Sommelier Foundation and he is a major contributor to their wine guide

CCR Book Club - April 26, 2018

The CCR Book Club's April meeting will be on Thursday the 26th and will discuss "Forensic Records Society" by Magnus Mills. The Washington Post review says the British author "has a knack for coming up with stories that cast a comically revealing light on human struggle and perversity" and his latest novel portrays the perceived "unbearable burden of superior taste in music" of its protagonists!

When: Thursday, Apr. 26, 2018
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Piazza Albania area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Dinner: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be preparing for 6 people.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

Tex-Mex Aperitivo - March 1, 2018

This casual aperitivo get-together bring us the tastes of another area of the world. Come along for a drink and some Tex-Mex treats -- that Mexican-US fusion cuisine that many of us miss!

Rec23 is located near the Sublicio Bridge that connects Testaccio to the Porta Portese area.

When: Thursday, March 1, 2018
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Rec23 Restaurant Emporio Club, Piazza dell'Emporio 1-2 (Testaccio area, by the river)
Cost: €10 for a drink and aperitif buffet. Each pays for their own order.

Movie Afternoon - February 28, 2018

We're going to see a hot new superhero movie! Reviews say that the "Black Panther" bigscreen production about Marvel Comics character T'Challa is both an adrenaline rush and an escapist  adventure rendered in a more artistic parable style.

It's playing in English at Cinema Barberini this week, so we're checking it out!

When: Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018
Time & Meeting Point: meet at 3:45 pm in front of the cinema; movie starts at 4 pm.
Where: Multisala Barberini, Piazza Barberini 24/26, 06 4201 0392.
Cost: €6 on Wednesdays. Each pays their own; please get your own ticket as soon as you arrive.

CCR Day Trip: Villino Volterra and Garden Tour - April 21, 2018

A day trip exploring a famous town, and some hidden treasures within it, in the hilly "Castelli Romani" area just south of Rome. This day out of town will be perfect for families with children as well.

Here's our plan for the day. At 10:15 Virginia Volterra will take us on a personal tour of the restored Villino Volterra and gardens built between 1904-07 by her grandfather, the famous mathematician, Vito Volterra. After the house and garden tour, at approximately 12:30 lunch will be offered (appetizers, two primi, pizza rustica, porchetta, wine, water). There will be an optional lecture at 2 p.m. in the greenhouse for those who wish to stay on after lunch and hear about Ariccia’s past. Children may play in the yard beside the greenhouse at this time. A further optional tour of the town of Ariccia will follow after the lecture, at  3 p.m., with a guide and admission to Palazzo Chigi and its park.

When: Saturday, April 21, 2018
Transportation, Meeting Point & Timing: by car (please carpool, free parking outside Villino Volterra), arriving by 10 a.m.; by train from the Roma Termini station with Luigi Girolametto departing Termini at 9 a.m. on the Regionale 7349 train, arriving in Albano Laziale at 9:51. The train ride costs €2.10 and those taking the train should meet past the Termini check point, beside the first car of the train 10 minutes prior to departure
Cost: tour of Villino Volterra and lunch only -- €25 for CCR members, €30 for non-member guests, children under 5 free, children 5-12 €12.50; tour of Villino Volterra, lunch and lecture on Ariccia (as seen through the eyes of famous authors) -- €30 CCR members, €35 non-members; all of the above plus a walking tour of Ariccia, the piazza by Bernini, and the Palazzo Chigi and its park -- €35 for CCR members, €40 for non-members. Advance payment is required.
NB: Book early as space is limited and remember that you are financially responsible for your booking.
RSVP to Luigi at lgirolametto@gmail.com, specifying whether you would like to participate in the second and third components of the day.

Meet the Author with the CCR Book Club - March 17, 2018

The CCR Book Club would like to invite all interested CCR members to join them as they welcome Canadian author Keith Henderson to their March meeting!

The group will be reading Henderson's latest novel, "Acqua Sacra" (available both in the original English and in an Italian translation), and the author and his agent will be at the March meeting to answer questions and listen to the group's reactions as they enjoy a potluck lunch.

"Acqua Sacra" is about a Montreal Italian-Canadian family with a property in Acqua Sacra, Abruzzo. A recently-divorced mother of two teenagers, her family's earthquake-damaged ancestral home in need of repair, feelings of failure, self-doubt and guilt swirling with the struggle for self-esteem and independence, public and private sector corruption and organized crime on both sides of the Atlantic, Old World beliefs and symbolism, and a cast of (sometimes comedic) characters including accountants, lawyers, bureaucrats, mobsters, witches and migrant workers -- these are some of the many features of this 2016 work.

Space is strictly limited for this special Meet the Author event, so book soon and start reading!

When: Saturday, Mar. 17, 2018
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Where: Piazza Bologna area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Dinner: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be bringing -- in this case only finger food and/or desserts.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Book Club: February 21, 2018

The next book we will read for the February meeting is "The Last Painting of Sara de Vos" by Dominic Smith. (It is also available in Italian as "L’ultimo Dipinto di Sara de Vos.") The New York Times review says the author "can craft an elegant page-turner that carries its erudition effortlessly on an energetic plot."

When: Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Viale Trastevere/Via Dandolo area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.
Potluck Dinner: Please RSVP letting Luigi know what dish you will be preparing for 6 people.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Luigi.

CCR Wine Tasting: Franciacorta - Italy’s Answer to Champagne - February 3, 2018

Franciacorta is made in the same way that winemakers in France make Champagne. Known as the ‘Method Champenoise’ or the ‘Traditional Method’ in Italy, Franciacorta produces bubbles by allowing a secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle. Franciacorta is made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two classic Champagne varieties, plus Pinot Blanc. Produced in a small wine producing area in the Province of Brescia (Lombardy), Franciacorta’s uniqueness can be found in the Italian climate and soil. The result is an elegance and complexity not found in other Italian sparkling wines.

Where: Residence of CCR members (Corso Trieste area) - exact address will be sent to registered participants.
When: Saturday, February 3, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost: €25 for members (€35 for non-members)
RSVP to Linda and Paul by Wed. Jan. 31 at canadarome@gmail.com. Please note that you are responsible for your reservation.

Each session is given in French and Italian and focuses on a specific theme relative to Italian wines.

Daniele Maestri, well-known Italian sommelier and a favorite among CCR members for his knowledgeable and lively presentations, will again lead this lecture and wine-tasting. For those interested in ‘wining and dining,’ Daniele writes in-depth articles on Italian wines and food for “Bibenda – Vini D’Italia” produced by the Italian Sommelier Foundation and he is a major contributor to their wine guide.