AICR News, Summer Edition 2012

AG s.r.l. - Via A. Cagnoni, 3400124 Roma

Tel. 06.50.93.00.97Fax 06.50.93.80.28

e-mail: [email protected]

B18/12/01

A IMERICANNTERNATIONALCLUB of Rome

summer edition

AICR NEWS - SUMMER 2012

The American International Club of Rome www.aicrome.org | [email protected] | Tel. 06-45447625 | Fax 06-97254122

Contents

3 Editor’s Letter

4 Upcoming Events

5 Club News

6 Member Profile Cybele Varela

10 Travel 7 Days in Paradise

14 Travel Palermo

16 Proust Questionnaire Stefano Micocci

17 Year in Review & Looking Ahead

18 Fitness Sizzlin’ in the Summer

20 New Members

21 Short List What’s hot now!

22 Discounts

23 AICR Business Members

Board of Directors 2011/2012

Honorary President

David H. ThorneU.S. Ambassador to Italy and to the

Republic of San Marino

Honorary Vice Presidents

Miguel Humberto DíazAmbassador of the United States of

America to the Holy See

officers

President: Debra BiaginiVice President: Marco Elser

Treasurer: Carol MarkinoSecretary: Kathy Araco

Board MeMBers

Will BeesonL. Chris CurryLoretta Dusini

Elizabeth Marmol Di CapuaClaudia Maria Pollari Maglietta

Scotti RhodesMarco Rossi

Mirella Rugolotto

aicr LegaL adVisor

Argia Bignami

aicr news editor

Jennifer Hawkins Micocci

aicr news Production

Alessandro Carafa Jacobini

aicr PHotograPHer

Anna Ambrosini

cLuB Manager and coMMunications sPeciaList

Nina Farrell

Cover Photo by Kathy Araco.

All articles are based on the information obtained at the time of their writing. Please contact us if you would like to add anything from your experience with AICR.

AG s.r.l. - Via A. Cagnoni, 3400124 Roma

Tel. 06.50.93.00.97Fax 06.50.93.80.28

e-mail: [email protected]

B18/12/01

A IMERICANNTERNATIONALCLUB of Rome

editor’s letter

From our gorgeous front cover photo (by Kathy Araco) to the pro-ceeding pages, I think it is easy to grasp the idea that summer is upon us, and with that, vacation time! Whether you are lucky enough to travel to the exotic Maldive islands, as Kathy recounts in her article about a true Paradise, or you decide to visit a more local island, such as Sicily, my top 10 list from Palermo can work as a short travel manual—from finding the perfect mini cannoli to the perfect beach. And, of course, we can’t officially begin the sum-mer without the ceremonious prova costume, so look to Coach G to guide you on burning those last few calories.

One of AICR’s long-standing members, Vivian Weaver, has offered her penchant for writ-ing and profiled Brazilian artist, Cybele Varela, for this issue, spotlighting her upcoming 50 year retrospective. Whereas, this issue’s Proust sheds some light on both the serious and humorous thoughts of Stefano Micocci.Allora, with this issue comes the close of another club year-- Thank you to all my writers, not just in this issue but all that have contributed during the year; I hope that you will each continue so that the magazine will keep growing! So without further ado, read on and begin planning your own summer escape… ciao ciao!

Jennifer Hawkins MicocciAICR News Editor

The American International Club of Rome4

upcoming events

AICR Visit of Avanguardie RusseFriday, July 20th at Ara Pacis - 5:30 p.m.Members meet informally at the Ara Pacis to view the stunning exhibit “Avanguardie russe” It’s not a guided tour, but members can rent audio guides. Afterwards, the group will enjoy an aperitivo in a location nearby. Reservations requested.

AICR First Friday May Happy HourFriday, Aug 3rd at Hotel La Griffe - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.Hotel La Griffe, via Nazionale 13Per drink: 7euro members with card, 10euro guests. Includes buffet.No reservations necessary, everyone is welcome to attend.

3aug

20july

AICR news - Summer 2012 5

club news

Dues Renewal: Still 60 euros for our 60th Anniversary!Dues are now being solicited for the 2012/2013 AICR Club year, which runs from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. The dues amount is 60 euros for returning members and 40 euros for retirees, students and second family members if the dues are received prior or on July 7, 2012. A 10euro late fee will be applied starting from July 8th. If you are a non-US citizen and decide to renew after October 5th, 2012 you’ll need to reapply for membership and will be placed on a waiting list. AICR turns 60 in 2013. Join us in celebrating our Anniversary! It is going to be a big year, filled with happenings for our anniversary and more benefits for members than ever. Join us for a rich and exciting year ahead!

Marketing Opportunities & Benefits of AICRMany members have been asking how to make the most of their AICR membership when it comes to marketing your products/services, and AICR Business Memberships and FRIENDS Program is the answer.Why not do business amongst friends? The AICR provides a perfect, trustworthy community network that can meet most all of our needs.AICR Business Memberships offer local business to get more visibility for their money, while our FRIENDS of AICR Program allows members to purchase various forms of advertising separately. These two AICR marketing programs, which provide options such as advertising in the AICR Directory, useful information listings, discounts programs and event sponsorship, are a sure way to achieve heightened recognition and credibility in the local international community. Call or email the office for detailed information on marketing opportunities.

2012/2013 AICR Election Results Congratulations to the new Board of Directors:The 2012/2013 Officers elected to serve a one year term are as follows:

President: Debra BiaginiVice President: Franco Spicciariello

Treasurer: Carol MarkinoSecretary: Kathy Araco

The 2011/2012 Board Members elected to serve a two year term are as follows:Giacomo Catalano, Marco Elser, L. Chris Curry, Scotti RhodesThe following individuals remain on the board, fulfilling the last year of their two-year term: Will Beeson, Loretta Dusini, Elizabeth Marmol Di Capua and Mirella Rugolotto.

To the Outgoing Board of Directors:Thank you to outgoing Board members Marco Rossi and Claudia Pollari.Thank you for your dedicated service on the AICR Board of Directors. The Club greatly appreci-ated your time, valuable insight and talents you have given to AICR.

member profile


Member Profile: Cybele Varela More vibrant than ever as she pre-pares for a 50 year retrospective.by Vivian Weaver

Cybele Varela’s home and studio are awash with color: it’s everywhere. Her paintings are happy and vibrant and even if you don’t immediately under-stand the subject, you’re sure to feel the energy.

She didn’t, however, start this way. Her first painting, at the age of nine, re-sembles a Dutch Master, and while the detail is impressive, it’s surprisingly se-rious for a child, but as it was inspired while listening to Beethoven’s Pastoral, we begin to get a glimpse of the artist.

Born and raised in Brazil, Cybele was 16 when she received an award from the National Museum of Fine Arts of Rio de Janeiro. Following a five-year course at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), her first artistic phase is char-acterized by dream-like works, which were based on reveries about other planets.

The infinity of space, the concept of other lives and other galaxies are top-ics, which always attracted her, and one way or the other, have influenced her entire artistic career.

In her earliest works she developed a critical and often ironic appreciation of urban life, which was influenced by

American Pop Art and was part of a local movement called, Tropicalism, which touched all areas of Brazilian arts.

Her Tropicalia work represents urban and popular scenes of Rio de Janeiro in their most simple forms. Employing vivid colors, she portrays people at cross-walks and in front of the “Stop” and “Walk” signs: images, which in-fluenced her thoughts about human life and freedom, both physical and social. Those designated paths, made for pedestrians, signal the distance, the limitations or possibilities for achieving


member profile

our goals, and divide us from what we would like to have and what we actu-ally have.

During this early period, Cybele carved a large wooden telephone with hidden nooks and crannies, which allow you to enter a new dimension of communica-tion and its meaning. At the same time she made large wooden puzzles (120 x 120) with interchanging pieces, which allow the viewer to amend the lives… and outcomes of her subjects.

Throughout the 60s, Cybele continued to develop new forms, including her Cirandas works, which related to child-hood dreams, creating vegetal and hu-man hybrids and the other connotations born in the silence of night.

Thanks to two scholarships, awarded by the French government in 1968 and in 1971, Cybele’s education was complemented by studies in art history at the Ecole du Louvre and at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes-Sorbonne.

Moving to Paris as an artist in residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts, she began focusing on the self-reflective representation of nature in a series of paintings, photographs and videos en-titled, Images. This research, through which she questioned the ambiguous representation of appearance, fitted in the Figuration Narrative wave, and is characterized by memories of Brazil: landscapes and daily life of the country

she had recently left.

Her work progressively evolved into a geometrical construction of space and the ambiguity of the real as transcribed through the interposition of fragmentary elements, such as the image of a tree or clouds, shown through photography or video.

One of these phases, which she calls Solars involved the use of light on pic-torial images and idealized landscape. Once the image is exposed to sunlight, the rays of light become an element of the image itself, sometimes replacing or hiding part of the pictorial representa-tion, thus, an instrument of illusion.

Light reveals and at the same time hides: landscape is reality and even when painted on a wall, the shadows and movement of the sun interchange with reality and force us to ask, “What is ambiguity?”

As described by art critic, Sylvio Acatos, “Reality, over-manipulated, becomes unreality.” Thus, Cybele’s Second Phase is characterized by the conceptual and everything is an ‘object’. It was during her time in Paris that her video, Image, which deals with the movement of light, was selected for an exhibit of women artists at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris.

In 1978, Cybele moved to Switzerland and began what is creatively known as


member profile

Images, but is also an extension of her Paris days, as the initial motif for this phase was a tree whose presence domi-nated the real panorama of her life.

She explains, “I had a tree in front of the window of my Paris apartment. The relationship of that tree, with constantly moving clouds, induced me to create geometric spaces designed by the pro-tagonists: tree and clouds.” As we study these paintings and the appearance and disappearance of tree and clouds, we are unable to decipher which is the ‘real’ subject.

To inaugurate a 1992 event called Art Platform, which was held at the Impe-rial Museum, (originally the residence of the Brazilian Emperor Peter II) she created a series titled, Gardens of the Imperial Museum. Born in Petrópolis,

these works are impregnated with mem-ories of her childhood: the red benches being one of the tropical garden’s most characteristic elements.

Combining people and fantasy in a se-ries of self-images and projections be-longing to her recent and distant past, Cybele’s phase Once Upon a Time playfully questions the position and role of the woman as an artist.

Following a sojourn in Ireland and Brit-tany, Cybele integrated themes from the Celtic culture with natural elements, thus creating Dolmens and Menhirs: paint-ings, which merge the Celtic soul with the mysteries of the Universe.

With the new century, homage is paid to one of the world’s great scholars, Athanasius Kircher, (1602-1680) a Jesuit, who in 1651 founded the mu-seum of the Collegio Romano, in Rome. With an exhibit titled Ad Sidera, which opened at Rome’s Library of Archaeolo-gy and Art History Annex, Cybele pays tribute to an incredibly inventive and inspirational figure, who also strongly influenced French surrealists.

In her Secret Garden series, Cybele shares a dreamlike world where inner reality, based on irrational, emotional or psychological tensions, takes shape. Using multiplied and split-up images, she expresses herself in a game of mir-rors, which reflects infinite facets of a unique creature.

member profile


Her next period, the Cangaceiros por-trays outlaws, who roamed Brazil’s northeast territory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The most famous was Lampião and his gang, who be-came part of Brazilian folk-law as a mixture of heroes and bandits. For this series, the artist was awarded two solo exhibitions: one at the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Rio de Janeiro, and an-other at the Museu de Arte Contempo-ranea MAC-USP, São Paulo.

Cybele’s phase Surroundings resulted from a desire to put together images that do not necessarily belong together. It develops around two main elements: a mask and a doll, which she sometimes combines and uses together with cita-tions from earlier works. This stage re-sumes her interest in self-representation and through paintings, photographs and video, where she appears with her face painted red or wearing a mask, she continues to question the image of the artist.

With the new millennium came Trans-fer: a walk on Earth or in a parallel universe. The main character, who ap-pears in all the paintings or whose pres-ence is suggested by pieces of textiles, crosses different symbolic moments of life, representing both the fleeting and the permanence of space. It’s as if uni-verses are places where fragments of life are mixed together as they are in dreams.

As we see, much of her work has a dreamlike connotation because she be-lieves that dreams or lost instants are as real as moments lived when awake. Thus her work travels through the un-known territory of everyday life, and her images are essentially forms or plays of color and line, be it a tree, a satellite, a trunk or a bird.

Most recently, Cybele has been using digital photography making it possible to reinvent her paintings, and video, which permits the introduction of move-ment and sound, and bringing a new dynamic to her art.

Through her more than 50 years as an artist, Cybele Varela has been exhibit-ed in galleries and museums around the world, including major festivals such as the São Paolo Biennial. Her work is part of several international collections, including Centre George Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Art Assis Chateau-briand (MASP) in São Paulo, Art Muse-um of the Americas in Washington, and the Permanent Collection at the United Nations in Geneva. In addition, two of her works were chosen by Unicef for their cards.

In 2013, Brasil will hold a 50 year ret-rospective of Cybele’s work in museums in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Paraná and São Paulo.


travel

7 Days in Paradiseby Kathy Araco

After a pretty long winter season and a very wet, cool spring, summertime is finally here to stay, and this year the trend is all about the sun and the beach. When it gets too hot it’s time to head for the shore – nothing is better than the sea breeze and a refreshing swim to cool off.I love going to the beach. The sun, the sand and the sea remind me of the great times I’ve had on vacation travelling to tropical islands and exotic getaways. Among them, the one that really stands out for me are the Maldives.Situated in the Indian Ocean, just South of India and North of the Equator, the Maldivian Islands actually consist of about 1,200 islands grouped in 26 atolls-- none of which rise higher than 7.8 feet above sea level – and only 200 are inhabited. Each one can differ in services offered; some focus on water sports or diving and snorkeling, others on big game fishing, etc. No matter where the choice falls, if you are looking for a place to forget about smog, pollution, noise and confusion, get away from cars, work and everyday routine and stress or from civilization in general, even for just a little while, the Maldives are the solution: a great way to reconnect with nature and focus on well-being.Despite global warming and other phe-nomena, like the 2004 tsunami, it has remained nearly untarnished during

the years, while being best known for its coral reefs, abundance of fish, white sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise-blue waters and flourishing tropical vegetation. Visitors come here from all over the world so tourism has become a major income of the country.Although I took this trip years ago, it still represents one of the best and most memorable vacations of my entire life-- in fact, I like to refer to it as 7 days in paradise.And yet, paradise is pretty far away, so getting there can be quite a journey. At the time I flew in from Paris, but now a nine hour direct flight connects Rome to Malé, the capital, every week. If your island is more than an hour from the airport you might consider booking a seaplane; otherwise, depending on dis-tance, by speed boat it could take up to four hours (like what happened to me), and even in the best weather conditions, the ride is very bumpy and tiring, espe-cially after the long flight. Nevertheless it’s worth it! As our boat approached tiny Fonimagoodhoo Island in the Atoll of Baa, my eyes were caught by the incredible, stunning view which unfolded in front of me. Instantly all the

travel


fatigue drained away from my body, and I was immediately uplifted. The sun was still fairly high and its golden rays were sparkling on the flat ocean top creating an evocative flare. On entering the beautiful lagoon, the deep blue wa-ters were soon left behind and in their place lighter shades of intense turquoise overlooked a white sandy beach. In the background stood the lush and dense multi-shaded green vegetation from which palm trees rose tall. The air was sweet and scented by the lovely tropical flowers which became more visible as the boat advanced. What a sight!We were greeted on deck with a wel-come cocktail by a barefooted employ-

ee of the resort, who explained, to our surprised looks, how shoes there are unnecessary most of the time. We were then escorted first to the reception for a quick briefing and then to a charming beach bungalow on the other side of the island, in front of which we had our own private straw umbrella with two lounge chairs set on the beautiful white beach right on the waterfront. The chirping of birds, the sound of the ocean and the breeze caressing the palm leaves filled the air. My 7 days in paradise were amazing. Each morning after breakfast I couldn’t wait to get back, put on a bikini and lie under the shade in our private beach

travel

area, just gazing at the horizon and enjoying the calm tranquility. Then as I would approach the seaside for a swim, every morning at the same time, I would see a little ray fish in the shallow waters right by the shore. It was nice having a friend come by to greet me daily, so after a couple of days of this routine, I got fond of this little guy and I decided to name it bebè (baby). Some people may think it’s dull to vaca-tion in such a secluded place, but dur-ing my stay there I never got bored. I was always engaged in some activity. There was even a gym at the resort for those who didn’t want to skip their daily workouts.The highlight of my vacation was the snorkeling: such an amazing experi-ence. The underwater world has a cer-tain mystical and magical atmosphere to it, a breathtaking beauty that words can hardly describe. Even when the sur-face of the sea is crisped by the waves, the calm and stillness underneath seems

surreal, almost an alien world.Every day at mid-morning, a snorkeling guided tour was scheduled with a pro-fessional who would accompany us in discovering the wonders of the Maldiv-ian coral reef, one of the most spectacu-lar in the whole world. It is inhabited by over a thousand species of multicolored fish and other creatures, among which the parrotfish, picasso, napoleon, trig-ger, sergeant, clownfish, surgeon, an-gel and butterfly fish, but also schools of fish like the blue-lined yellow snappers. These are just a few of the species I saw and to swim among them was bliss to my eyes. It is like observing an under-water rainbow splash of colors... blue, green, yellow, red and pink corals, sponges and fish everywhere you look. Fish are shy and tend to hide under the corals and rocks; they scare easily, so one must stay still or move very slowly. Being patient and having a careful eye will pay off; fish will come out of hid-ing and you will be enraptured by all


travel

this beauty with memories to hold on to for a lifetime. For divers an amazing encounter with the magnificent mantas, stingrays and even sharks is possible in deeper waters. Yes, for snorkelers and divers the Maldives are truly paradise.Just the time to dry off and we were off to lunch and then a stroll by the sea-shore circling the jelly bean shaped 600 meter long island (and only 200 meters wide!). The afternoon was dedi-cated to water sports like sailing and windsurfing. To be out in the middle of the ocean, just gliding above the crys-tal clear waters with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, sailing toward nearby white sandbanks that seem to rise out of nowhere was a real delight.Not to be missed was the feeding of the fish. Scheduled every day-- an hour before sunset, a professional, standing in ankle deep water would feed the big stingrays who would show up for a free meal. Watching them compete was fun but at times a little scary too knowing that their sting can be dangerous and deadly.After a cocktail at the lounge bar, time to get ready for dinner, where both inter-national and Maldivian specialties were served. The cooking was superb-- a rich buffet with a large variety of delicious food was provided. As entertainment, crab races were organized later and who guessed the winner would receive a prize. Afterwards, dancing at the out-side disco was a must to shake off some calories. The evening would end with a stroll on the beach to gaze at the stars

which sparkled particularly bright in the sky.Two fun excursions were a guided tour of a fishermen’s island to see the Mal-divian lifestyle of the inhabitants, their village, local hospital, school and tradi-tional handicrafts (including mat weav-ing, embroidery for traditional dresses, leather and lacquer goods) and a fish-ing trip where the guests’ catch would be cooked that evening at the restau-rant. Time really flew and before I knew it, my vacation was almost over. I had just one more day on this tiny island away from civilization. One more day to feel like a modern day Robinson Crusoe. Just one more day to admire the mag-nificence of my surroundings and inebri-ate my senses with all this beauty. Yes, just one more day in paradise before my trip was over. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay. But then I realized how lucky I was and how this trip had en-riched my life experience and soothed my soul. I would bring back with me all these wonderful memories and im-ages of paradise. This made me want to share them with others, transmit the same sensations, emotions and feelings I had felt during my stay; yes, I could boost their mood and give them a taste of paradise. So a smile flashed over my face in anticipation of all the wonderful people and lives I could touch by simply sharing my story. My 7 days in paradise would revive through me and through my words and hopefully uplift the spirits of others too.


travel

Palermo… More than just i cannoliby Jennifer Hawkins Micocci

In Palermo for four days this past May to discover a bit of the Sicilian island for the very first time, it was love at first bite! For years, I have had visions of cannoli dancing in my head and knew that a trip to Sicily meant a supreme gastronomical marathon. Palermo (and the Western surrounding towns) didn’t disappoint. This is self evident as I lay in bed each night strapiena, yet imag-ining my next discovery (meal) the fol-lowing day. But, don’t get me wrong, the delights of Sicily are all encompass-ing—the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea, crys-tal blue and shimmering like a million and one diamonds-- enamored me. The people, always ready to share their is-land with the tourists, were of the purest kindness. And the architecture— from the dilapidated homes (they have great potential) to the newly renovated and on to the palaces and churches, es-pecially those with an exquisite merg-ing of Arab and Norman styles, was enchanting. Four days really is just a bite, or rather, a nibble, in discovering Sicily, but here are 10 of my highlights.

1. Ristorantino Syrah: Located along the beach in San Vito lo Capo, by far, this was the favorite restaurant with the freshest and most delicious Pesto Tra-panese; the ambience and price didn’t

disappoint either.2. Capella Palatina: Where shall I look? Every square inch of the royal chapel (located inside Palermo’s Pala-zzo Reale) is meticulously decorated in gold mosaics. 3. Tonnara di Scopello: The Montalba-no episode, Il Senso del Tatto, doesn’t do this spot justice. It is a gloriously magical (and private) bay with a long story of tradition as a tuna fishery. 4. Le Saline di Trapani: Viewing the salt marshes at sunset wasn’t planned but made for some fantastic photos with the long-standing windmills as a backdrop. This area is preserved by the WWF.

travel

5. Antonio Pasqualino International Puppet Museum of Palermo: I pupi! Nostalgic for an epic tale of chivalry, the Sicilian puppets are heroic works of art (Orlando & Rinaldo), but there are many grotesque beasts as well. 6. Piazza Marina: The magnitude of the ficus magnolioides (strangler fig tree) is unreal in this green piazza in the center of Palermo; you must see them with your own eyes. 7. Duomo di Monreale: This is like the Capella Palatina but on steroids! Phe-nomenal are the numerous scenes of the Old Testament in gold mosaics. 8. Bar Mirto: After visiting the Duomo di Monreale, head to this bustling pas-ticceria down the road for the perfect mini cannolo and cassata. Yum!9. Ballarò: The other market, Vucciria, may be larger and more famous, but Ballarò was a lively sight with amazing artichokes—10 for one euro!

10. Cefalù: A hot beach spot where we heard the locals go… Aside from tak-ing a dip, the town is rich in beautiful sites and views; don’t miss the church of Saint Stefano (aka Chiesa del Purga-torio) and the gorgeous staircase entry.


What is your idea of perfect happiness?A big lunch with good food and wine to share with my family and friends.

What is your greatest fear?To lose my family.

Which living person do you most admire?Aung San Suu Kyi for her non-violent strug-gle for democracy and human rights.

Who are your favorite writers?Andrea Camilleri, for both Montalbano and his other novels, Susan Vreeland and late-ly I discovered as a great writer, Winston Churchill.

Which talent would you most like to have?Being a musician.

What is your most treasured possession?My Nikon with which I can stop time and bring a moment forever with me.

When and where were you happiest?In Africa, with my wife during our honeymoon.

What is your most marked characteristic?Analytical, Observant & Reliable, but at the right time I can be Dorkaliscious!

What do you consider your greatest achievement?Getting my engineering degree on time.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?Calvin & Hobbes, love at first strip... where Calvin states: “Tigers will do anything for a tuna fish sandwich.”

proust questionnaire

A northerner, Stefano Micocci hails from Emilia-Romag-na, the land of his beloved Parmigiano Reggiano, spe-cifically from the city of Piacenza. After obtaining his Masters in Electronic Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano, he began his career in Milan working for a telecommunications company. In 2003 he relocated to Rome as a consultant on a six month project—but his role changed and he became the project manager; he continues working on this and numerous other projects and still lives in Rome, along with his wife.

AICR Proust Questionnaire with Stefano Micocci


year in review

2011/2012 Annual Meeting of MembersYear in Review & Looking Ahead

2011/2012 EventsThe AICR has a very diverse membership when you consider factors such as age, national-ity, geographic background and profession. In order to bring such diversity together and provide enticing events to all facets of our membership, we make a concerted effort to come up with new and different event ideas. We try to cover the five areas of interest and nature of events; social, business, cultural, civic and charitable. AICR Community Service Initiative Rome: Sant’Egidio Soup Kitchen, Spreading Christ-mas Cheer at Casa di Kim, Komen Race for the Cure and an Easter Party at Casa di Kim. Business Events: Corporate Networking with Andrew Davis and Professional Networking Mixer.Speaker Events: Brindisi & Discussion with the South African Ambassador and Minister of Education, US Tax Law Updates for Expatriate Americans, Becoming a Fit Star with Guest Speaker, Coach G.Cultural Events: Portraits of Power at the Capitoline Museums, the exhibit at il Quirinale and tour of The Origins of Carnival and other Italian Rites, Ceremonies and Celebrations. Traditional Events: Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Dinner at Rivadestra, Annual Meeting of the Members and American Independence Day Celebration.Exclusive Member Only Events: Circolo della Caccia with all three US-Rome based Am-bassadors, Elections Night Party at the Roma Polo Club, Tour of the Italian Parliament, free tour of Palazzo Borghese and Visit of “Carnevalesco Veneziano” at the U.S. Embassy Art GalleryOther: First Fridays Happy Hours and Ethnic Dinners

More Benefits and Discounts for members in the 2011/2012 year- AICR Members Only Section & Weekly Digest: We re-launched our members only sec-tion, which enables members to post messages. Approved posts are now sent to members in a weekly email digest.- Newly improved printed and E-newsletters and E-event communications. - Discounts for members at all Happy Hours & More member only events in exclusive locations

2012/2013 EventsJoin us on July 7th at our annual American Independence Day Celebration. Ideas and planning for fall events include: Members-Only BBQ at the Acquedotto Romano Polo Club, an ethnic dinner at Himalaya Palace, a US Elections Debate with representatives from Democrats and Republicans Abroad, an Election Returns Party, evening art exhibit visits followed by drinks/dinner, a fitness day and a professional networking evening with a CBS war correspondent. If you would like to see an event on the schedule, please submit your proposal to the office. Be sure to include possible dates and location suggestions with estimates.


fitness

Sizzlin’ in the Summerby Gerard Burley

Hey AICR Fit Stars, it’s Coach G here again tapping into your healthy sub-conscious. If you haven’t noticed by the girls in shorts, sidewalks overcrowded with tourists, and the sheer heat: It’s SUMMER TIME. Hopefully by now you have met many of your goals that you set for yourself over the winter holi-days. All the work that you have done up until now has now come to a head, and it’s time to reap the benefits. This is a time to feel good about the work that you have done and to show off a little. For many of my clients, this is the time when our workouts change to an even faster paced cardio focused workout to help burn as many calories as possible. Though we spent lots of the winter and spring building muscle, in order for us to see this muscle we are going to need to burn down the fat. How you ask? Well that’s what Coach G is here for.

Plan It OutWe are primed, ready and focused on burning as many calories as possible. The first key is not stopping during our workouts. The more we can keep this body moving the better. The best way to do this is to plan out your workout and to keep a timer handy for your rest times. Many times people wander around aimlessly in the gym not know-ing what exercises they are going to do

and end up wasting lots of time. It’s bet-ter to take an extra 10 minutes before you go to the gym to write down the order, sets, and reps of your exercises. These 10 minutes of planning could save you 30 minutes of wasted gym time and help you to burn 300 or more calories than you usually would.

Time It OutAlways use a watch or clock to time out your rest time because when you think you are resting for just one min-ute it usually is five. Do this four times and we have wasted 20 minutes in the gym. To keep a workout cardiovascu-lar and in a zone where you will be burning the most calories, you need to keep your rest times under one minute,


fitness

and it is even better if you can keep it under 30 seconds. Start to time out your rest periods and see how fast 30 seconds blows by while you are trying to catch your breath. My clients always claim that I have something called the “Coach G watch” that moves incred-ibly slow and even backwards at times during workouts, but extremely fast dur-ing rest times. Many of my clients have come to realize that they get more out of a 30 minute session with me than in an hour with other trainers. This is because I monitor every second.

Rep It OutIn this phase we are also going to start adding on more reps than we did in the past. I have been known to have some clients moving quickly through various exercises in reps of 20-30 during this phase just to lean the muscle out and get as much calorie burn as possible. We are also focusing on whole body compound motions because the more muscle fibers we can activate the bet-ter. Think of it like this: if you are only feeling the burn in one area then you are doing something wrong. Instead of the normal lunges you are familiar with, try adding a dumbbell curl while you lunge and then a shoulder press as you return to standing. This way we are now activating muscles head to toe, and therefore, burning more calories.

GET OUTNow you are ready to get out of the house and be who you were meant to be. So much of success in exercise has to do with your mindset and how you view yourself. Our thoughts become our reality, so if you always tell your-self you are unattractive and don’t like working out, then that’s just how others will see you. Keep a positive mind and create the habits that you want to see in yourself. We are so much more power-ful than we know.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me on Twitter @CoachGRome or [email protected]


aicr new members

Please join us in welcoming the following new members:

Maarten Beer Sangvig

Sara Brain

Diego DutraTours and Visas

Kristi Ekberg Teacher & Translator

Pauline Fromer Cara KavanaughOwner/actressThe Pilates Muse

Paolo La ScolaJunior ConsultantOpen Gate Italia

Angela La ScolaLegal SpecialistMetLife

Massimo MaggiorePresidentUstica Yacht and Fishing Club

Victoria Maggos

Ann McArtorCreative DirectorThe Insider’s Rome

Brigid McDonnellAccount ManagerEMI Meetings & Incentives

Cathleen MillerAuthor Cariddi Nardulli Semone Noel Fabrizio Pennacchio Virginia Prystay Pennacchio

Lisa RobbinsWriter/editor/journalistFreelance writer/editor

Marit Sangvig

Margit Mau


short list

Short List - What’s hot now!by Jennifer Hawkins Micocci

Movie: Take This Waltz. From the leading role of Marilyn, Michelle Williams is again in the lead of Take This Waltz, but as a simple, young wife, un-questionably in love with her husband (played by a clean-cut Seth Rogen) until she meets her neighbor, Daniel, and is enamored by their intense chemistry. Directed by Sarah Polley, acclaimed for various works, most notably Away From Her, the film is set in Toronto during a sweltering summer, which only adds to the heightened heat (passion) felt by the characters. Boundaries must be examined and unchartered questions must be asked.

Album: Havoc and Bright Lights: Isn’t it ironic that Alanis Morissette will be playing in Rome at the Auditorium for the annual event, Luglio Suona Bene, as she releases her new album later this summer? Ok, (sorry), I couldn’t resist the pun. As we await the Sonny release in August, here is a glimpse into the songs, told by Morissette herself: “It is my emotional, psychological, social and philosophical commentary through song. I can’t wait to share it

with this fun and funny planet, and to tour, and can’t WAIT to have the lively, engaging and challenging conversations that these songs may invite.”

Website: Thedailybeast.com. Probably a good reason why this is my “go to” site for what’s going on in the world, The Daily Beast is the 2012 Webby Award Winner for News. In col-laboration with Tina Brown’s re-vamped Newsweek magazine, The Daily Beast’s Cheat Sheet is one of the best run-downs of the world’s top stories, collected from numerous leading news sources; yet, there are also more in depth journals and essays. With the motto, “Read this skip that,” there’s no need to surf any farther online.

TV Show: Veep. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is dy-na-mite, and boy, does she like to drop the F-bomb! Don’t expect the sweet and quirky Elaine from Seinfeld here; she is now center stage with a hip, young cast as she hilariously plays the role of the Veep, that is, Vice President of the United States of America. New from HBO, the show follows a day in the life of the Veep as she creates disaster after political disaster and throws it on her staff to do the damage con-trol-- And she wonders why the president never calls her. Trust me, a perfect comedy for this election year!

Book: Zuppe: Soups from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome. There is nothing like eating local and it is really effortless in a city like Rome, with fresh markets and produce at our fingertips. This is a focus of the Rome Sustainable Food Project (RSFP) at the American Academy in Rome, eating seasonally and organically within the culinary traditions of Lazio. Mona Talbott is executive chef of the RSFP and the author of Zuppe, the second in a series of single-subject cookbooks. In the true spirit of RSFP, the recipes are a lesson in cucina povera, waste nothing while creating delicious one-dish meals. Buon appetito!


aicr business members & discounts

10% discount for the self-catering apartments at the agriturismo in Chiantishire, complete with swim-ming pool; and 7% discount on extra-virgin olive oil and organic Chianti classic wines and grappa. Azienda Agricola Poggetto, Localita’ Cispiano, 5, Castellina in Chianti. Tel. 0557/741/001 Fax 0557/741190 [email protected] www.agriturismopoggetto.it

One complimentary aperitif when dining at BEERE, contact details Anita/Valerio tel. 06 39721153, www.beere.it and 15% discount at BORGO DI TRAGLIATA www.tragliata.it contact Steve tel. 06 6687267 and PALAZZO OLIVIA, www.palazzo-olivia.it contact Jennifer tel. 340 0865186

Order personalized floral designs by Debra-Flower for that special touch and have them delivered free (Rome and within 5 km. out-side Raccordo). Weddings! Events! Parties! [email protected] www.debraflower.com www.debraflower.blogspot.com www.debraflowerit.blogspot.com Driver In Italy Flat Rate @ euro14,99 for one pax - euro 24,99 for two pax - from the third pax euro 5,99. Shared Service To and From FCO-Rome Contact us: Tel: +39 392 99 62 196. Email: [email protected] www.driverinitaly.com 10% discount on Italian language courses at Ciao Italia Center for Italian language and culture. Guaranteed quick results, relaxing environment, on/off site. Tel./Fax 06/4814084 - Via delle Fra-sche, 5 (Via dei Serpenti) www.ciao-italia.it [email protected] Pilates health for your body! Your first ten Pilates Muse private sessions offered at 450.00 (200.00 savings). Experience the authentic pilates sys-tem on original apparatus. tel. 06/92937400 cell.338/1096895 email [email protected]

10% discount off language and cultural awareness training from Global Training. Italian, Chinese, German, English, ...; specials: legal language, language+ Golf; cultural awareness: China, India, Italy, Germany; www.language-culture.de; [email protected]; Via Frattina, 89, 00187 Roma; Tel. 0039.3391288422

20% off Nia Technique Classes. Nia offers a fun, creative pathway to health and wellbeing, regardless of age or physical condition. Antonella Monini, Nia White Belt Certified Teacher. Tel. 3667178642 www.nianow.com www.niaconan-tonella.com - Ials-Centro Danza Musica Spettacolo Via Cesare Fracassini, 60 (Lungotevere Flaminio). 10% off hair cut and color services from Noi SalonTel. 06 3600 6284; Piazza del Popolo 3; www.noisalon.com, [email protected] 10% discount off services from TATA&TUTOR childcare services agency specialized in Ameri-can babysitters (from 0 to 12 years old) and tu-tors (1st to 12th grade).- [email protected] - 3392393614 www.tataetutor.it ; [email protected].

10% discount off the first service call from “Those Two Englishmen”. From home renovations to simple electrical and plumbing installations, paint-ing, air conditioning, general repairs and main-tenance. Put you home in good hands! www.thosetwoenglishmen.com or email: [email protected] Call James @ 320 8271180 Partita IVA: 11279961004 We Care International (WCI) Consulting, Re-search and Training Sustainable Solutions in; Personal, Professional and Organizational Devel-opment www.wecareinternational.com [email protected] Tel: 06-661 810 28

Take advantage of important discounts at many local businesses, thanks to your AICR Membership.

AICR news - Summer 2012

aicr business members

AICR thanks our Business Members who provide benefits for AICR members and support the Club.

Avis Autonoleggio - Rent a CarItalian Headquarters: Via Tiburtina 1231, 00131 [email protected] Reservations: www.avisautonoleggio.it/aicromeCall Center: 199 100 133 (Outside Italy + 39 06 45 21 08 391)Quote Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number W465200

Marymount International SchoolTel. 06 36 29 101 Fax: 06 36 30 1738Via di Villa Lauchli 180 [email protected] www.marymountrome.org

St. John’s UniversityVia Marcantonio Colonna, 21A Rome Italy 00192Tel. 06-393842 or Toll Free Number in Italy: 800 971736Fax: +39 06 39384200 - US Tel: +1 (212) 815-9216 Ext. [email protected] www.stjohns.edu/rome

CEO

Chief

Rent in [email protected]

Tel. +39 06 66541130Via della Pisana, 600

00163 Rome, Italy

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AICR News, Summer Edition 2012

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Transcript of AICR News, Summer Edition 2012