100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go / Susan van Allen. 2009. Palo Alto, CA: Travelers’ Tales.
This cornucopia of Italian delights titillates the senses and entices the imagination. Occasionally fringing on the irreverent (who else but Susan van Allen would dream of calling the Blessed Virgin Mary the BMV, for instance – only kidding, grrll!), and bordering on the erotic (as in Susan’s description of The Capitoline Venus attempting to cover her “Cupid’s cloister”), Susan’s selective guide to Italian beauty and beauties scampers through both urban and rural landscape with exuberant glee.
Ranging from the divine to the decadent, Susan’s romp through the Italian past and present has one hankering for more. The Divine: Goddesses, Saints, and the Blessed Virgin Mary takes one from the Campidoglio, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill to the Temple of Segesta in Sicily, by way of the artistic splendors of Florence, Tuscany, Venice, Padua, Naples, Campania and Palermo. In each, she focuses on the female, the envisioned and the immortal, as portrayed in key works of art. Instructive and elucidating, she entices one with succulent morsels of information about the work and the artist involved. Suggesting the best times at which to visit all the museums and galleries that she recommends, Susan also gives handy tips on how to plan one’s jaunts for the day, including visits to nearby parks and restaurants. She even manages to sneak in extra tidbits of recommended reading, not to mention a novice’s guide to mythology and Mary’s rites of passage.
A little bit of history, a little bit of art… The second section of Susan’s 100 Places romps through the spacious ville, palazzo and an apartment, starting once more in Rome and ending in Sicily – an added bonus to her racy pace is the systematic way in which she unravels the labyrinthine. Her sense of enthrallment with her surroundings is intoxicating, as she seduces us into imagining the scenes of revelry and mayhem that permeated the past.
Susan van Allen appears not only to appreciate the intimacy of the boudoir, but also the graceful and cultivated structuring of the outdoors. Finding la dolce vita in the harmonious blend of greenery, sculpture, and fountains that typifies the finest in Italian landscape gardening, she explores gardens originating in the Renaissance and Baroque periods – not without a timely reminder that most gardens close down November to March, so best check ahead to avoid disappointment.
Susan then extends her delight in the outdoors to an overview of the finest of Italian beaches, while, on the way, introducing one to the niceties of beach etiquette regarding such key points (;)) as topless bathing and clubbing. Mmm, and after indulging in all those sun-drenched days, what next but to explore the most refreshing and soothing of beauty treatments offered by leading spas (contact details provided)…
The culinary delights of Italy await you next, as Susan encourages you to “pursue your passion for tasting by heading to the country and visiting a [woman-owned] winery” and to “indulge your tastebuds as you tune into delicious daily rhythms” of eating out at an urban caffè. Gelato, chocolate and wine are never too far from an Italian lover’s mind…
…and which woman does not love to shop…shoes, leather and paper ware, ceramics, jewelry, fragrances, lingerie, embroidery and lace…not to speak of shopping in Milan or at the antique markets, Susan explores them all.
Just in case you think that van Allen only indulges the feminine instinct of womankind, in her next section she counters by yielding to the wild buccaneering instinct that’s hidden deep within us all. In her section on active adventures, she introduces us to biking, hiking, skiing, boating, yoga and Pilates, Italian style.
Having worked up a sufficiently good appetite through adventuring abroad (pun intended), Susan brings us home with a flourish in her section on cooking classes. She equates taking a cooking class in Italy with “getting a backstage pass to the country’s soul”.
After cooking with Susan in Rome, Tuscany, Parma–Emilia-Romagna, Ravello, Campania and Calabria (don’t you just revel in rolling those names off your tongue?), you can learn any one of a vast range of Italian crafts and culture before being entertained at an array of cultural and sporting venues. Then, rounding it all off, she advocates reading about, and developing your own memories in, Italy.
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go concludes with handy tips for Italian travel (though the entire work churns with such ideas…) and packing, a calendar (or should I say colander?) of holy days, and a detailed index. By this stage, if you are not fully replete and with your dates for your next Italian jaunt at least penciled in on your schedule, may the BVM come to your aid, sister…
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Opening the Way to the Woman in Us All: Ennobling Stories of Female Heroism
Tell Me a Story 3: Women of Wonder / stories by Amy Friedman; music by Laura Hall; directed by Lori Ada Jaroslaw; illustrated by Jillian Gilliland. $18.95.
A love of animals and an appreciation of the many different cultures of the world permeate this audio collection of folktales and legends. Each story is encapsulated within a piece of folk music typical of the country in which the story originates. Both inspiring and comforting, this CD is a worthwhile investment both for younger children and for those who are just starting to learn English for the first time. Each story radiates enchantment, which can be even further enhanced by going online to the website of this women’s collective (www.MythsandTales.com) to check out the whimsically illustrated stories. All the stories can all be printed out and read while one listens to the soundtrack by the renowned gospel musician Laura Hall.
The quirky uniqueness of each tale, marked by a strong sense of humor and compassion, is supported by the strong cast of characters that fill these tales with an awareness of the remarkable endurance of the human spirit in the face of adversity. After an overture that sets the tone for the telling of these stories, each tale is dramatized in turn by a different raconteur of stage and screen – all women, for this CD is a celebration of the woman in us all. ‘The Cleverest Tune’, a British folktale read by Bryce Dallas Howard, describes the capacity of a young girl to fill her home with joy and music on the death of her much-loved father. ‘The Goddess and the Ogre’, a Cambodian legend read by Jessica DiCicco, tells of the enterprising Manimekhala, the goddess of water, who is able to outwit the fearsome ogre Ream Eyso with the help of a wise hermit, who longs for nothing more than “to spread knowledge to everyone who wished to learn”.
‘Whisker of the Lioness’, an Ethiopian tale read by Margot Rose, shows how a daughter’s longing for her mother’s love drives her to overcome her fear of the mother of all beasts of prey, allowing her to gain insight into how to start loving again. ‘The Lady and the Judge’, a Turkish folktale read by Wendy Hammers, reveals how crossing social and class boundaries empowers the wife of a pasha to help a distressed and exploited dustman. ‘Reindeer Maiden’, a Siberian legend read by Yvette Freeman, tells how, by transforming herself into a “shimmering oil lamp”, the Reindeer Maiden is able to elude her ardent suitor, the Moon, and retain her precious freedom. My favorite, ‘Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind’ (recall ‘Annie Get Your Gun’?), an American tall tale read by Paula Poundstone, ends off the collection – the tale of a true frontier gal who captures her man, Davy Crockett, no less!
This collection of legends and (tall) tales will keep you and your children riveted to the CD player! Don’t forget to make the most of their website too…
A love of animals and an appreciation of the many different cultures of the world permeate this audio collection of folktales and legends. Each story is encapsulated within a piece of folk music typical of the country in which the story originates. Both inspiring and comforting, this CD is a worthwhile investment both for younger children and for those who are just starting to learn English for the first time. Each story radiates enchantment, which can be even further enhanced by going online to the website of this women’s collective (www.MythsandTales.com) to check out the whimsically illustrated stories. All the stories can all be printed out and read while one listens to the soundtrack by the renowned gospel musician Laura Hall.
The quirky uniqueness of each tale, marked by a strong sense of humor and compassion, is supported by the strong cast of characters that fill these tales with an awareness of the remarkable endurance of the human spirit in the face of adversity. After an overture that sets the tone for the telling of these stories, each tale is dramatized in turn by a different raconteur of stage and screen – all women, for this CD is a celebration of the woman in us all. ‘The Cleverest Tune’, a British folktale read by Bryce Dallas Howard, describes the capacity of a young girl to fill her home with joy and music on the death of her much-loved father. ‘The Goddess and the Ogre’, a Cambodian legend read by Jessica DiCicco, tells of the enterprising Manimekhala, the goddess of water, who is able to outwit the fearsome ogre Ream Eyso with the help of a wise hermit, who longs for nothing more than “to spread knowledge to everyone who wished to learn”.
‘Whisker of the Lioness’, an Ethiopian tale read by Margot Rose, shows how a daughter’s longing for her mother’s love drives her to overcome her fear of the mother of all beasts of prey, allowing her to gain insight into how to start loving again. ‘The Lady and the Judge’, a Turkish folktale read by Wendy Hammers, reveals how crossing social and class boundaries empowers the wife of a pasha to help a distressed and exploited dustman. ‘Reindeer Maiden’, a Siberian legend read by Yvette Freeman, tells how, by transforming herself into a “shimmering oil lamp”, the Reindeer Maiden is able to elude her ardent suitor, the Moon, and retain her precious freedom. My favorite, ‘Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind’ (recall ‘Annie Get Your Gun’?), an American tall tale read by Paula Poundstone, ends off the collection – the tale of a true frontier gal who captures her man, Davy Crockett, no less!
This collection of legends and (tall) tales will keep you and your children riveted to the CD player! Don’t forget to make the most of their website too…
Contemplating the Contemplative: A Guide Book to Accommodation in the Religious Houses of Europe
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe. Volume One. Austria, Czech Republic, Italy / Trish Clark. Mahwah, NJ: Hidden Spring, 2009. ISBN 978-1587680533. $49.98.
The index to this guide to convents, monasteries, open houses and spiritual retreats of Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy gives one but the barest outline of the wealth of contents of Good Night & God Bless. Apart from answering the usual questions of where, what and how much, a sense of cultural and historical awareness permeates the text. Want to know where Empress Elizabeth was assassinated, where to seek out the most awe-inspiring classical music or liveliest disco, or where to buy locally grown organic fruit and herbal teas? Look no further than Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe.
A neat pocket guide to the best alternative tourism routes through three major European countries, this logically structured work is a soothing panacea to the overwhelming plethora of travel books that pulsate off the shelves in ever increasing numbers. Presenting her work in pleasingly demarcated paragraphs, Trish Clark describes the accommodation, ranging from the relatively simple to the discretely luxurious, provided by religious houses that have found the need to become financially viable amid the increasing commercialism of the 21st century.
A brief introduction to each country and region, including a map and a few color photographs of the most distinctive sites, is followed by a few pages on each of the leading open houses. Trish describes exactly what a tourist is likely to experience while staying there. Venturing beyond a brief overview of the services and specialties provided, she explores the surroundings of each open house in turn, suggesting which places of interest, food and drink and sporting and cultural events the prospective traveler might most enjoy.
For those of a more contemplative frame of mind, Trish describes the spiritual retreats and pilgrimages that can be undertaken in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. She also provides the contact details for additional accommodation, so that the array of potentially spiritually uplifting accommodation is reasonably extensive.
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe is the ideal guide for those seeking more than the conventional tourist fare – make the most of your next trip to Europe by contemplating the contemplative and return home refreshed and spiritually restored. Volume Two of Good Night & God Bless, which covers the accommodation provided in the religious houses of France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, is due out in January 2010. Personally, I can’t wait!
The index to this guide to convents, monasteries, open houses and spiritual retreats of Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy gives one but the barest outline of the wealth of contents of Good Night & God Bless. Apart from answering the usual questions of where, what and how much, a sense of cultural and historical awareness permeates the text. Want to know where Empress Elizabeth was assassinated, where to seek out the most awe-inspiring classical music or liveliest disco, or where to buy locally grown organic fruit and herbal teas? Look no further than Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe.
A neat pocket guide to the best alternative tourism routes through three major European countries, this logically structured work is a soothing panacea to the overwhelming plethora of travel books that pulsate off the shelves in ever increasing numbers. Presenting her work in pleasingly demarcated paragraphs, Trish Clark describes the accommodation, ranging from the relatively simple to the discretely luxurious, provided by religious houses that have found the need to become financially viable amid the increasing commercialism of the 21st century.
A brief introduction to each country and region, including a map and a few color photographs of the most distinctive sites, is followed by a few pages on each of the leading open houses. Trish describes exactly what a tourist is likely to experience while staying there. Venturing beyond a brief overview of the services and specialties provided, she explores the surroundings of each open house in turn, suggesting which places of interest, food and drink and sporting and cultural events the prospective traveler might most enjoy.
For those of a more contemplative frame of mind, Trish describes the spiritual retreats and pilgrimages that can be undertaken in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. She also provides the contact details for additional accommodation, so that the array of potentially spiritually uplifting accommodation is reasonably extensive.
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe is the ideal guide for those seeking more than the conventional tourist fare – make the most of your next trip to Europe by contemplating the contemplative and return home refreshed and spiritually restored. Volume Two of Good Night & God Bless, which covers the accommodation provided in the religious houses of France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, is due out in January 2010. Personally, I can’t wait!
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