You might remember my post White, Green, and Red All Over: Obama to eat patriotic pasta at G8 from a month ago. The G8 summit began today in L’Aquila in Abruzzo and the Italian press is relishing the Obamas’s every move with great gusto.

As Franco pointed out today at Vino al Vino, there was even a post today at the ANSA (National Italian Press Association Agency) site that includes not only the official schedule for today but also the official bottles of wine and spirits to be given to Italy’s “illustrious” guests. G8 members will receive a “magnum of Amarone Aneri 2003 in a wooden box on which the initials of each of the presidents or prime ministers present has been engraved. All official lunches will begin with a toast with Ferrari spumante, [a wine] which is never missing at great appointments with history [sic; can you believe that?]. As an official gift for the illustrious guests, a highly rare ‘Ferrari Perle’ Nerò has been chosen [sic; the wine is actually called Perlé Nero], together with ‘Solera’ Grappa by the Segnana distillery. 1-3 p.m.: working G8 lunch on global economy.” (The post at ANSA’s English-language site did not include the wines or plugs.)

The American press doesn’t seem to be taking the G8 Summit and Silvio Berlusconi’s carefully choreographed hospitality as seriously as the Italian press corps. “Inexcusably lax planning by the host government, Italy, and the political weakness of many of the leaders attending, leave little room for optimism,” wrote the editors of The New York Times today.

With more humble tone, I was forwarded an email from the Dino Illuminati winery announcing that one of its wines had been chosen as the official wine for the luncheon and another for the closing dinner tomorrow. “We are sure You’ll like to enjoy,” it read, “the very good news with us: Our wine ZANNA Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG 2006 has been choiced as official red wine for the G 8 lunch of Wednesday July, 08. Besides, our wine LORE’ ‘Muffa Nobile’ will be the dessert wine for the G 8 dinner of Thursday July, 09.”

I guess Dino didn’t make the ANSA deadline.

In other news…

Check out our post today at VinoWire: Barbaresco producers speak out on Giacosa’s decision not to bottle his 2006. Giacosa claims that the rains of September ruined the vintage but our post reveals other points of view.

kepada rakan2 yang sudi berhibur membuang masa bersama saya..terima kasih semua!! memang enjoy kan petang tu…05 julai 2009/KL <–>Genting<—>KL<–>JB. Jauh sungguh perjalanan ..panjang pemandangan kan?heheheh..kat sini ader serba sedikit pic yg sempat diabadikan sepanjang kita berada disana….

Happy Father’s Day!  In a mash-up of dad-centric stories/baby name news, I bring you:

• MSNBC’s story on the pluses and perils of being a Junior.  The predictable story?  There are good and bad things to sharing your name with Pop.  The interesting takeaway?  The percentage of juniors has been dropping for at least forty years or so;
• In a guest post at Nameberry, Brian Sargent bravely admits to being difficult when choosing names for his twin daughters, Lila and Victoria;
• Speaking of dads, Emmy Jo’s husband actually sat down and toyed with Nymbler.  I declare myself jealous!  And her list rocks – it will be fun to see how they narrow things down.

Elsewhere online, you might enjoy:

• Over at Tablet Magazine, an online journal about Jewish life, Marjorie Ingall encourages parents seeking a traditional Jewish name other than Jacob or Hannah, to Go Moe!  Among her suggestions: Akiba, Felix, Hosea, Philo and, of course, Moe for boys.  For girls, there’s Adiella, Hepzibah, Ida, Mehitabel, Noa, Sarai and Zillah;
• The Toronto Star reports on yet another truly unusual choice.  This time, the nicely named Declan is big brother to Kenzi and Saffi.  The girls were almost Braeda and Saffron, but dad couldn’t remember Braeda and somewhere along the line they decided that the hippie-chic Saffron was too “stuffy”;
• An interesting poll over at Swistle asks readers to weigh in on a baby name for girl #4, little sister to My other daughter’s are named Clarissa Brynn (nn Clary), Theodora Elise (nn Thea) and Susanna Lisbet (nn Zanna).  I’m pulling for one of Christina’s suggestions – the underused Cordelia;
• You’ve probably already seen Linda’s Titanic post at Nameberry, but I found myself scrolling through it again, remarking that yes, Denzil has been around forever.  And there were some other fabulous names aboard the ill-fated ship – Sibley, Rossmore, Eugenie (a servant), Sigrid, Clear and Argene, just to name a few.
• Got a few hours?  What a Lovely Name seems like a middling name search engine at first, but don’t leave too fast.  Create a logo and you can order personalized gear with your kiddo’s name.  Quite cute;
• Nancy of Nancy’s Baby Names listed five names she likes less, thanks to songs.  Hers were Eileen, Sharona, Rhonda, Roxanne and Adia;
• Celebrity Baby Blog remarked on all the famous celeb kiddos called Max, in one form or another in their post Mad About Max.  Me, I’m waiting for some parent of boy/girl twins to dub them Max and Minnie;
• Over at the Nymbler blog, the top favorite names for May are posted:  Charlotte, Ava, Jack, Grace, Amelia, Finn, Ella, Benjamin, Audrey and Claire make up the predictable Top Ten.  But here’s an interesting little note – five names debuted in the favorites list, including Hero, Amalie, Lake, Soraya and Quin.

In starbaby news, over at Celebrity Baby Blog:

• In an interview with Mary Louise Parker on the adoption of her daughter Caroline Aberash, little sister to William Atticus, the actress explained that Aberash was the name chosen by her daughter’s birth mother, saying: “I can’t give her a locket, a picture, a letter — that’s it. That’s profound to me and I don’t want to rob her of it.”  It’s a poignant reminder of the power of names;
• In another celeb birth, Maura West of As The World Turns welcomed a daughter called Birdie. Big sibs are Benjamin, Joseph, Katherine and Basil.  Mom’s taste has certainly become more daring over time;
• And Carnie Wilson welcomed Luciana Bella – Lola Sofia’s little sis.  But she’d announced her name choice long ago.

But this week’s biggest news is a veritable celeb birth in the blogosphere – Elisabeth of You Can’t Call It “It” has brought home Beatrix’s little sister, Eulalie.  Eulalie was Name of the Day at her suggestion all the way back in August 2008.  Congrats to the family of four (!) and let me say (yet again) that Lolly is the perfect choice!

The Latins liked to say that nomina sunt consequentia rerum (names are the consequence of things). If ever there were an irony to that saying, it applies in the case of Alessio Occhiocupo, above, 28 years old, a native of Abruzzo, a photo reporter, based in Madagascar where he’s working on a photo essay of life there. His last name, Occhiocupo, literally means dark eye.

I was recently put in touch with Alessio by Stefano Illuminati of the Dino Illuminati winery, one of Abruzzo’s leading wineamakers (I am a big fan of his Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane Zanna Riserva).

Alessio was kind enough to share some photographs of wine country in Abruzzo, like the one below.

My friends Alfonso, Alessandro, and Mosaic Wine Group have remembered Abruzzo by posting about the region today. If you’d like a photo of Abruzzo to post on your blog, please send me an email and I’ll send you some of Alessio’s beautiful photos (I’m working all day today in Dallas so I’ll send out the photos tomorrow).

Please remember Abruzzo and help the victims of the April earthquake there by drinking Abruzzo wines and visiting Abruzzo on your next trip to Italy.

Un tema de Nacho Cano -Mecano- que aparece en la banda sonora de la película “Sal gorda” de Fernando Trueba (si no la has visto, no te pierdes nada). Año 1983.

Aquí dejo un video montado con escenas de la película:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AemsKbTbGGo

In May, NCTC Performing Arts Theatre will hold auditions for Zanna, Don’t! The production will be performed at NCTC from July 31 through August 9, 2009. Any high school or college student is eligible to audition or apply to work on the production.

Zanna, Don’t! is the tale of the upside-down world of Heartsville High where the chess team rules the school, the captain of the football team can’t fit in without trying out for the school musical, and a magical matchmaker tackles heterophobia to make the world safe for a boy and a girl who dare to fall in love. And, yes, that means that the rest of the students at Heartsville High are gay.

NCTC, of course, is known as a children’s theatre. As such, we realize the decision to stage Zanna, Don’t! may raise some questions among parents, students, and others who are familiar with our company. We hope this statement will help to illuminate our choice.

When we first considered the idea of staging Zanna, Don’t!, the board and staff of NCTC were hesitant. But once we learned more about the show, we realized that it isn’t about being gay. It’s about looking at people from a different perspective and accepting people for who they are. What if the drama club were the most popular group at school? What if the chess club had fans? What if the captain of the football team felt out of place? And what if being gay were accepted and being straight were something to hide?

Last week, an 11 year-old boy in Springfield, Massachusetts, committed suicide following relentless harassment by his classmates for being perceived to be gay. He was in the sixth grade. Our producing Zanna, Don’t! might not save a life, but it can teach acceptance by bringing light to a topic that so many are afraid to address. If that eleven year-old boy’s school had been comfortable enough to discuss the issue, he might be alive today. Acceptance and respect are things that we try to promote at NCTC, so this show falls right in line with what we do.

It doesn’t hurt that Zanna, Don’t! is a fun, well-written story with great pop music. It also won three New York theatre awards, was nominated for several more, and received both public and critical acclaim. The show has no sex, no drugs, no violence, and no swearing. Not many musicals can claim that. In fact, NCTC is doing another musical this summer that involves bullying and feeling lonely; a mother abandoning her child; nightmares and feelings of being lost; a character who feels so uncomfortable with her body that she takes drugs to change it; and another character standing up to an entire crowd to defend a discriminated group of people. That musical is Seussical.

For any parent or student who might be concerned about auditioning for Zanna, Don’t!, a reading copy of the script will be available at the theatre. We encourage you to call the theatre (860-666-6282) to make arrangements to read it if you would like. For those interested in auditioning, more information is available at the NCTC website.

Hello and welcome.

This is our “official” blog and we are happy to be here.   Please make sure you sign up at our website, www.SistersToSuccess.com so we can send you updates.

Thanks for stopping by!

Zanna & Zynnia

The Sisters To Success Website

Se anche tu, come noi , almeno una volta nella vita hai provato ad entrare in discoteca e vista la coda hai detto: IOSONOAMICODIZANNA, se hai cercato di farti offrire da bere dicendo, IOSONOAMICODIZANNA, se ad una festa mentre ubriaco ballavi sopra un tavolino la sicurezza ti ha sbattuto fuori mentre urlavi IOSONOAMICODIZANNA allora questo è il posto giusto perchè siamo tanti anzi di più siamo migliaia, no milioni siamo uniti e continueremo a dire di essere amici di ZANNA nel bene e nel male……

i get bored something, and very depressing on days like today. i don’t know why, i had a wonderful time with Glinda and Alfaba. but even that died out quick tonight. things are awkward today. i can’t fee much of any emotion, why? i can’t say the reason, nor anything more then just i’m sad. i pause and ponder on my thoughts and get to the same ideas/reasons. i’m fat. i’m ugly. i don’t like my body. i keep babling about how i look, and how proud i am of me, but not even that makes me feel good about myself. i can’t cry. i don’t cry. but i want to. i want to cry. i want to for once sit here and just cry about nothing. weird. i only cry when a movie is randomly on. BUT it could be in the most random part of said movie. for an instance: i was watching Clue the other day, and it’s in the end of the movie and they’re having fun explaining who killed who with what, and at randomly i just started crying, balling my eyes out. there i was, crying, sitting weeping even? how pathetic am i? that i can’t cry when i’m sad, but i can cry when the most funny moment is on the tv?

i couldn’t handle today. woke up, couldn’t get to school in time, skipped my art class, and didn’t even bother showing for Health 1. i’m horibly tired of everything lately. this lack of being in love, this constant on going sense of “being ugly”. i’m tired, constantly, i’m bored even more so then ever. it’s annoying really, the way i can just sit here and tell random people my emotions BUT yet i can’t do anything about.

people tell me i’m great with advice, then how is it that i can’t follow my own advice. i can never get close enough to myself to explore my being, my emotions, my on going circle of life. i can’t remember the last time i had “fun”. i can remember the last time i laughed, the last time i breathed air, the last second of my shower. but i can’t come to remember how i smiled, the way i smiled. i don’t hate myself. i hate the things i don’t do. i mean it’s not like i have a choice to do most things, i rarely have any money, and now with my mom’s back problem and all, i have no money what to ever. i’m weak hearted, and soft minded. i care little for important things, but yet i care a lot for things that don’t seem to matter, like missing an episode of my favorite, or my worst show. i hate it, i hate it all.

l’era di internet ci garantisce l’immortalità. una foto pubblicata o un qualsiasi commento postato sui siti web, risulterà rintracciabile da google per anni….molti anni. e da oggi, anche un eroe urbano dal grande fascino e (soprattutto) dal enorme seguito di fan, è stato consacrato alla vita eterna. la nascita di un mito. Grazie Zanna, ti preferiamo a MaxPezzali!

Oggi sono venti anni precisi dalla morte di Andrea Pazienza. Ho riflettuto a lungo sulla possibilità di scrivere un post sull’argomento – non tanto sulla morte di Paz, quanto piuttosto sul mio rapporto con lui. Sul modo in cui è riuscito a dare un senso ai miei sedici anni e a quello che è venuto dopo. Su quanto sia stato decisivo leggere le sue storie ciniche, esilaranti, dolorose. Sul perché Anderenza sia stato uno dei pochi artisti incontrati nel tempo che ancora mi porto dentro senza un minimo di dubbio o di cedimento, con l’amore e l’intensità di sempre. Su come i suoi libri, sempre più logori e vecchi a furia di letture e riletture, siano ancora lì, ad occupare un posto di primo piano nella mia libreria. Però poi ho deciso di no, per vari motivi: vi lascio con due articoli che mi sono particolarmente cari. Sono usciti sul giornale negli anni scorsi, ve li copiaincollo qui.

Le moltitudini di Pazienza
Perché la pazienza ha un limite, Pazienza no”. Andrea Pazienza, la rockstar del fumetto che sembrava non avere limiti, uno che disegnava come se fosse la cosa più naturale del mondo, che raccontava storie spietate, intime, disperate, divertenti, che faceva ridere, irritava o colpiva allo stomaco con la stessa, disarmante semplicità. Non aveva limiti nelle sue potenzialità di artista, ma poi alla fine è andata così, forse “ogni vita è quella che doveva essere”, come scrisse Tondelli a proposito della morte di Paz. Nel libro intitolato Le donne, i cavalier, l’arme, la roba. Storia e storie di Andrea Pazienza, il giornalista Franco Giubilei racconta un’artista entrato nel mito attraverso le testimonianze di chi ha l’ha conosciuto: l’amico Marcello D’Angelo, l’amore Betta Pellerano, il coté di Frigidaire, Sparagna Scòzzari e Liberatore, alcune voci del ’77, la vedova Marina. Ne emerge un ritratto spesso divergente ma dominato da quel senso di perdita che chi l’ha conosciuto non può fare a meno di esprimere ancora oggi, a diciassette anni di distanza dalla morte a soli 32 anni. La sua vita ha attraversato alcune fasi salienti della storia italiana, di cui è stato cantore e interprete. Il ’77, ad esempio. I puristi del “movimento” gli rinfacciano un’adesione opportunistica, di essere rimasto ai margini. Ma il coinvolgimento di Paz era di natura poetica, estetica. Più che tirare sampietrini contro le barricate preferiva raccontare, in maniera profonda ma con il distacco necessario. Le straordinarie avventure di Pentothal sono frutto di un periodo che voleva “l’immaginazione al potere”, della rivolta studentesca, di Radio Alice, Bifo e Freak Antoni, di quel gruppo di attivisti, militanti, tossici e creativi che infestava Bologna in anni di violenta contestazione. Ma l’opera ne costituisce il diario intimo e visionario, filtrato dalla sensibilità di un artista e non di un militante. Scòzzari dice: “lui faceva politica per il fatto di aver cambiato l’estetica di una generazione. In realtà non gliene fregava un cazzo, non era né di destra né di sinistra, era pazienzesco”. Poi l’eroina. A quel tempo era status symbol, alcuni addirittura giravano con la siringa che spuntava dal taschino per fare colpo sulle “sbarbe”. Paz frequentava la Traumfabrik, in una casa occupata di via Clavature: c’era gente che dipingeva, ascoltava i Devo o i Residents, che si drogava. Anche lui cominciò. Allora significava essere in, e per lui significava integrarsi in un ambiente alieno. Poi l’ero divenne ansiolitico. Arrivarono gli anni Ottanta, arriva Zanardi. Zanna è pura prevaricazione, è istinto e cattiveria. Zanna con quel suo naso a becco artiglia la realtà, la graffia, si erge a simbolo di quegli anni pur trascendendoli, estremizza la reazione il disincanto e il disimpegno, è il mondo così com’è, spietato e indifferente. Zanna sancisce il passaggio ad un’epoca grigia. Anche per Paz, ormai entrato nel gotha del fumetto italiano, da Linus a Frigidaire. La separazione dalla Pellerano, la perdita di un punto di riferimento per un uomo in fondo ragazzino, il rifugio nella droga, il rifugio a Montepulciano. Arriva Pompeo, l’eroe che rispecchia il suo status di allora, il sostrato di disperazione, l’eroina (“vuoi mettere risorgere, risorgere, risorgere…”). Il matrimonio con Marina, il viaggio in Brasile, la parziale disintossicazione e poi di nuovo le pere, una dose troppo alta, o forse tagliata male, sta di fatto che una sera del 15 giugno 1988 viene trovato senza vita. Durante il suo funerale piovve così forte che i presenti pensarono a lui furioso per l’accaduto. Emotivo, fragile, vitale, immaturo, inaffidabile, ipersensibile, meridionale, generoso, narcisista, frenetico, mortifero, instabile, geniale, capriccioso, familista…“E ringrazia che ci sono io, che sono una moltitudine”… (2005)

Il profilo buio di Pazienza
“Perché il freddo, quello vero, sa essere qui, in fondo al mio cuore di sbarbo”. L’incipit – generazionale e definitivo – è quello della prima storia (Giallo scolastico) di uno dei personaggi più controversi del fumetto italiano, Massimo Zanardi detto Zanna, il ragazzo biondo col naso a becco che fece la sua prima, bruciante apparizione nel marzo di venticinque anni fa sulle pagine del quinto numero di Frigidaire, allora la rivista dell’avanguardia a fumetti italiana. L’autore era Andrea Pazienza, uno che a quell’epoca era “praticamente una rockstar” e che seppe fiutare e farsi interprete della temperie di quei cinici anni ottanta. Un fantasma, un’ombra sfuggente che conserva tutto il suo fascino inquietante. Se pure vale qualcosa, bisognerebbe chiedersi perché mai ancora oggi molti ragazzi continuano a peregrinare tra quelle pagine mossi quasi d’istinto, perché sanno di trovare in APaz una specie di maestro di vita, uno con cui sporcarsi grazie alle sue paradossali verità (come “amore è tutto ciò che si può ancora tradire”), grazie all’espressione così articolata e pungente, eppure carica di humour nerissimo, del gelo, del vuoto, della disperazione, di quel lato oscuro con cui fare i conti quotidianamente e che spesso ha proprio il profilo aquilino di Zanna.
Il doppio negativo, si disse. Una figura quasi atemporale a cui delegare tutte le pulsioni negative e distruttive, il preferisco di no detto cono cinismo e disillusione, il vuoto di chi ha capito tutto dalla vita, ne ha decostruito i miti e le false illusioni, e se ne frega. Superiore a tutto, spietato e cattivissimo, senza passato e presente, consapevole che nella vita non dovrà sbattersi più di tanto. “Lui non pensa assolutamente a niente. è il vuoto che lo permea, che lo circonda, solo il vuoto”, dirà Pazienza della sua creatura, psicanalizzandola. Zanna quasi archetipico, ma non bisogna dimenticare il periodo storico in cui nacque. Era la fase post ’77, ed alla sbornia ideologica cominciava ad opporsi una maggiore leggerezza, il materialismo edonistico, la ricerca di visibilità e status symbol. Il liceale Zanardi è lo specchio deformato di quella società, ne rappresenta il lato marginale ed estremo eppure pienamente integrato. Si rende protagonista di brutte storie di violenza, stupri, rapine, “scherzi mitologici”, soperchierie, prepotenze, ma non c’è quasi dissidio con il contesto. Zanna è il frutto degenero di una società che in quei valori, mascherandoli, si riconosce. Almeno in parte. Bisogna dire che Zanna non esisterebbe senza la presenza dei due compagni di avventure, Colasanti e Petrilli. Con loro si compone la triade: personaggi talmente complementari gli uni con gli altri che c’è chi vi ha visto i diversi tratti della personalità del loro autore. Il primo è un ragazzo balestrato, ricco e sicuro di sé, contraddittorio ed enigmatico. Petrilli è il ragazzo frustrato, brutto fisicamente e bloccato dalla famiglia e da mille condizionamenti, che odia Zanardi ma non può fare a meno di frequentarlo e in fondo vorrebbe essere proprio come lui. Insieme saranno protagonisti di una manciata (davvero troppo poche) di storie esilaranti e irripetibili. (2006)

Ah…wat een hondenleven

Onze kleine meid is al fel gegroeid. No need to say more..

Geniet met volle teugen van deze foto’s… ik weet dat ze véél fans heeft, bij deze dus een ode aan jullie

Is dit een treffende vergelijking?

Of niet?

Kijk eens diep in haar ogen…

Jij doet de gekste dingen
Soms ben je niet goed wijs
Jij zet de wereld op z’n kop
Ik zie de hel en het paradijs
(Wendy Van Wanten)

Ja Zanna haar scheetjes kunnen stinken,

maar aan de andere kant…

Kan je dit lief ding toch gewoon niet weerstaan?

Na een woelige nacht, zagen mijn baasjes: Manu en Hanne, het tóch nog supergoed zitten om voor de allereerste keer te gaan wandelen. In het begin was ik een beetje onwennig, maar al snel snuffelde ik mijn weg door het Zuid park. Ik rende door het frisse gras en kon al trapjes op en af.

Mijn baasjes hebben ook een foto genomen toen ik voor het eerst in mijn leven een andere rashond zag. Ik was een beetje bang… zo een grote hond!

Na het afscheid van de échte mama en de papa in Lovendegem, nestelde Zanna haar meteen in m’n armen. De autorit duurde 20 minuutjes en op het einde viel het beestje praktisch in slaap. Eenmaal uit de auto, zag ze voor het eerst de ‘wereld’… of toch het centrum van Gent. Een paar straten verder en 46 trappen hoger, kon ze haar eerste stapjes zetten in ons appartement.

Het leek erop alsof ze haar ouders snel vergeten was. Welkom thuis! Wij geven je vast en zeker een superdeluxe hondenleven. Deze kiekjes bewijzen dat Zanna al héél goed thuis was vanaf het eerste moment.

Een beetje nieuwsgierig keek ze van op veilige (arm)hoogte naar haar domein…

Nog geen uurtje later, na de eerste onzindelijkheden, ging ze al aan de slag met schroevendraaier en sleutels. Een goed begin, hoewel ze zélf niet op de zetel kon springen…

Hier is ze dan! Ons klein Frans bulldogmeisje Zanna. Ze is genoemd naar het (bekende) liedje (klik hier om te luisteren) van Luc Van Acker (Arbeid Adelt) en Anna Domino.
Sweet Coffee heeft het nummer recentelijk verkracht, maar soit.

Volgende week mogen we onze puppy ophalen… spannende dagen dus. Hier kunnen alle Zannafans regelmatig komen snuffelen naar nieuwe kiekjes en filmpjes. Voor de rest… Woef, mumble mumble en pleasure to meet you! xPaWx

Here’s a rough-ish recording of the bows and finale from “Zanna, Don’t!” at the Bailiwick.  I especially like the 3-part accapella section near the end of the clip.  Can’t wait to see it myself!

For most of the segments of “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” that I sat through, I often wondered “why the hell do they have this culture guy on?  He’s useless!”.  I was talking about Jai Rodriguez, the Queer Eye rep in charge of the vague “culture” aspect of straight-guy-reprogramming.  Anyway, it wasn’t until later that I found out that he was an accomplished singer/performer, playing the lead in “Zanna, Don’t!” during the Off-Broadway run of the show.  I dug up a montage of his performances.  Unlike the Off-Broadway cast recording, he seems to have taken some bad advice, plunging into an American-Idol-singing style.  Oh well….