Wine championship in Fiesole

The "Estate Fiesolana" ends with the fourth edition of "The championship of the wine" which is a real championship organized by the city council of Fiesole and slow food. The event is devided into two parts: a real competition between wine experts coming from all over Italy and a wine and food kermesse open to the public.

The championship will be the chance to talk about good wines, wine growing according to slow food philosophy and it will be open to many tuscan wine labels. The competition is open to everybody even if you need to have a good knowledge of wine especially about wine-territory. To winners a lot of nice prizes.
Roma theatre of Fiesole, Via Portigiani

Program:
Saturday, September 6th from 3,15 pm; wine and food stands, labs for children as well, books presentation, at 6pm Gianmarco Mazzanti, valid author of several books of recipes will illustrate some of them, wine and delicatessen tasting available.
Sunday, September 7th from 10am then from 6,45 pm award ceremony of the wine competition.

see also the post of 2007 wine tournament

Stia blacksmith festival, Italy

This festival takes place once every 2 years. So the next edition will be 3-9 september 2009. But this year is possible to attend some courses with an important artisan. For more info: 338/1579968 328/4649171.

September events in Florence

Monday September the first you have two choices for your night out: Piero Pelu’ (ex LITFIBA) in concert in Sesto Fiorentino or a Neapolitan concert by Enzo Carro in P.zza S.Spirito. Both have free entrance.

Wed September 3rd Grand opening at the café DELUXE with aperitif and DJ set by Carlo DJ

Thursday September 4th, The jazz club opens back with a fabulous concert of the Sunrise jazz Orchestra.

Friday, September 5th you can choose between two events:
1) From 6,30 to 7pm you can try yourself fro a free lesson of belly dance by the l’Art del dance for info www.nonsoloflamenco.blogspot.com
2) From 8pm at Villa Vespucci (San Felice a Ema) charity-aperitif for the poorest population of Peru’. Let’s support the activity of the hospital Mama Ashu in Chacas operated by Mato Grosso. For info checca@lycos.com

Sunday, September 7th an evening for children: The Rificolona (Florentine children sing this song as they wander through the streets of Florence the first week of September, carrying papier-mâché lanterns tied to the ends of sticks, called rificolone. There are several theories as to where the tradition originates from; some think it commemorates the triumphant entry of Florentine troops into Siena on August 2 1555, when the soldiers tied lanterns onto the ends of their pikes) with parades along the Arno river and the in the streets of Florence.


Next week: Wednesday September 10th white night in Via Doni: shops open until midnight and shows in the streets

Nextech Festival, electronic music in Florence

The third edition of the Nextech Festival, dedicated to the world of electronic sound, will be held in Florence at the Stazione Leopolda, from September 18th to 20th, 2008.

The festival aims to document the broad spectrum of electronic sound for audiences interested in new musical trends and cutting edge experimentation, as well as 'beat' dance enthusiasts, who enjoy music as a source of entertainment.
For three days, the Nextech Festival will accompany participants from the aperitif hour right through to the early hours of the morning, combining various expressions of electronic music, in conjunction with the surrounding area, with the passage of time, as well as with different arts and techniques.
The venue for the festival is of particular interest: it is a 19th century railway station, which has been turned into an arts center. The imposing aisles of the Stazione Leopolda will be filled with the atmosphere of a big event, just like a party, where it will be possible to participate, to ‘play’ with the events, concerts, performances and layouts.
From 6.00 p.m. every day, the Nextech Festival will offer an exploratory itinerary through today’s wide variety of electronic music, from the rhythms of the dance floor to more advanced sound research, to music as an element of environmental architecture; providing recognition, within various expressive spheres, of an interdisciplinary and innovative proposal, amidst constantly alternating sounds ranging from vibrant techno beats to delicate minimal atmospheres.
The complete programme of the festival is avaliable on the Nextech Festival website: www.nextechfestival.com
Where: Stazione Leopolda - Viale Fratelli Rosselli 5 - Florence
Starting time: 6 p.m. until late night
The Nextech Festival will be organized by Musicus Concentus, Intooitiv, Stazione Leopolda Srl and Controradio, with the contribution of the Councilor’s Office for Culture of Florence as part of the FirenzEstate ’08 events.
For further information: Nextech Festival Ph.: +39 055 287347
Email: info@nextechfestival.com

Sagre and gastronomic events near Florence

What's on this weekend near Florence?

The little town of Ronta, next to Borgo San Lorenzo - in the Florence countryside - will host the Porcino Mushroom Festival (Sagra del fungo porcino) on August 30th and 31st, 2008. The most appreciated italian mushroom will be the centre of the festival: an entire menu based on the porcino with courses like the tortelli with mushrooms, the fiorentina steak with porcini, and so on... Opening hours: Saturdays only dinner (7.30 p.m.) - Sundays lunch (1 p.m.) and dinner (7.30 p.m.)
For further informations: Ph.: +39 055 8403386

Tortello festival in Scarperia
Within the Diotto Festival in Scarperia - in the Florence Province - on August 30th, 31st and on September 6th, 7th, 2008 will run the traditional Tortello Festival (Sagra del Tortello).
The Tortello Mugellano is a popular hand made type of pasta, comprised of a filling of ricotta cheese and various herbs, sealed between two layers of pasta dough. The Tortelli are commonly rectangular in shape and they are usually dressed with ragù (meat gravy), mushroom or butter and sage.
For further information: Ph.: +39 055 8468165
Email: info@prolocoscarperia.com

PD fair in Florence

Do you remember InFortezza? The July/August summer kermesse at Fortezza da Basso? Well, practically speaking, is the same thing with a different name. Until last year was the Festa dell'Unità, a fair that takes place in Florence at this time of the year to "celebrate" the left italian party. Now that they have changed name is PD fair (democratic party).

Gastronomic stands, especially etnic food. I came back to ethnic restaurant Paladar to taste a fish with peanuts sauce.

After dinner I strolled around to see what has to offer. They changed place to the disco which is not behind the Fortress, they moved also the large bookshop in the Cavaniglia pavillion and removed the cinema to open the space to a unknown afro-portuguese artist...but I found a very interesting exbition made by the students of the comics school about reciclying. Folkloristic people, american girls all over. The festival is open until September 7th and there is also a series of concerts. Yestraday I saw L'Aura, a very talented italian singer.

Entrance is free. For some concerts you have to pay.

Holiday in Sicily

I have come back from Sicily, the biggest island in Italy and I am very enthusiast of this travel: cristalline sea, excellent food, ancient greek ruins and lower prices in comparison to Florence.

Everybody is wellcoming and kind. We had nice weather every day.
I visited the greek temples of Selinunte, just above a golden sandy beach, where I lied for hours sunbathing and swimming. This ancient Greek archaelogical site is well conserved, and you can admire the temple of Hera with the original columns and capitels (built in the 600 BC).
I was amazed by the baroque architecture of Noto, a little city at the south-east of Sicily, which is Human Heritage.
I liked the contrasts of Palermo: rich and elegant quarters close to poor and disrupted quarters where you can get lost in some typical old markets such as Ballaro' and Vucciria.
I liked the narrow streets of Siracusa, a city rich of history and culture (I slept in a bed and breakfast just above the temple of Apollo for 60 euros!)
I appreciated the local cuisine: the arancini (small rice balls with meat inside), the cannoli alla siciliana (sweets with ricotta cheese) and the fuata (a tiny pizza with onions).

I strongly recommend you to visit Sicily at least once in your life, but you have to be very patient: roads are quite a disaster, and the concept of time (and puntuality) is relative.