AICR Winter 2015

WINTER 2015

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

AICR News

contents

3 Editor’s Letter

4 Upcoming Events

5 Club News

6 New Members

7 Member Profile: Damiana La Pera

10 Feature: Villa Borghese

13 Travel: Trieste

16 Proust Questionnaire: Paul & Lisa Howard

20 Short List: What’s hot now!

22 Discounts

23 AICR Business Members

Board of Directors 2014/2015

Honorary President

John R. PhillipsAmbassador of the United States to Italy

and to the Republic of San Marino

Honorary Vice President

David J. LaneAmbassador of the United States

to the UN Agencies in Rome

officers:President: Debra Biagini

Vice President: Franco SpicciarielloTreasurer: Carol Markino

Secretary: Alexia Maria di Fabio

Board MeMBers:Vlad Beffa

Loretta Dusini Marco Elser

Fabio FerrariScotti Rhodes

Martha ScherrAndrea Stoler

Conchita Vecchio

aicr news editor

Kathy Araco

cluB Manager and coMMunications

Nina Farrell

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.

WINTER 2015

editor’s letter

A new year has begun, so let’s make 2015 our best year yet!

Love is in the air. Can you feel it? Soon it will be St Valentine’s Day, so get ready for a special Valentine edition of the Proust Questionnaire on two fairly recent members: Paul and Lisa Howard, a charming married couple from England who you can get to know better through our Proust.

A special recognition goes out to trusted contributing writer Carol Markino, who kindly interviewed Damiana La Pera, “pratarola” and longstanding member since 1985.

Join me in welcoming two new contributing writers: Dr. Elizabeth Celi, who has brilliantly portrayed Beth Blosser’s

walking tour of Villa Borghese by poetically describing its natural beauties; and Carla Francini, who urges us to visit Trieste, a fascinating city, by enticing us through a lovely description of its monuments, history and landscape.

As for me, don’t forget to check out my Short List of What’s Hot Now to stay current. I’m sure you’ll find it inspiring. So without further ado, be ready to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa, or your favorite beverage, and enjoy reading this wonderful issue.

Kathy AracoAICR News Editor

LUISSRome International School is connected to

GuidoCarli

Situated near Via della Camilluccia in 3 hectares of natural parkland,our new building reflects our focus on critical thinking, inquiry based

approaches and a passion for learning.

We are an International Baccalaureate World School providing a highquality education to students from over 30 different nationalities, with a

consistent record of facilitating access tothe world’s best universities.

Contact us to find out more.

Our state-of-the-art campus is now open!

A rewarding education for ages 2 to 18

Rome International School is connected to

[email protected]

Via Guglielmo P. Giraldi, 137 - 00135 Rome

upcoming events

4 The American International Club of Rome

St. Valentine’s Day Grand Dinner with L’Union Français de Rome et du LatiumPalazzo Farnese February 14th, 2015, 8 p.m.Black Tie. Tickets no longer on sale.When Opera meets Gastronomy, it’s a Love Story!

AICR Pub QuizFebruary 27th 2015More information forthcoming

First Friday Happy Hour:March 6th, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.Hotel Art, via Margutta 56 €8 members, €10 guests per drinkOne beverage purchase necessary.

International Women’s DayMarch 8th More information forthcoming

Community Service: Association Kim easter PartyMarch 2015

“Second” Friday Happy HourApril 10th, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.Hotel Art, via Margutta 56 €8 members, €10 guests per drinkOne beverage purchase necessary.

club news

Potential Speakers Needed for our Discussion and Lecture SeriesAICR is continuing to host a Discussion and Lecture Series for its membership. This year, however, we would like to focus discussions on helping residents get through various issues of an American living in Itay. If you could lead a discussion or share your experiences on topics, please let the office know. Examples of topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following: Obtaining a driver’s license; Obtaining Citizenship; Cultural differences; What to do in the case of car accident; Economic & political talks.

We are looking within our multi-talented, professional membership for potential speakers. If you are interested in speaking to your fellow members, please let us know the topic of discussion you could present and your availability.

Please keep in mind AICR is a non-profit organization and cannot endorse members or commercial enterprises.

AICR Volunteers, thank you! This month, we would like to thank:Emily Heinz Valle, who is now heading up AICR Social Media. Vlad Beffa who has helped to make minor updates on our current website. Kathy Araco, editor of the AICR News and all its contributing writers and submitting members. Tina Salandra, who lead our US Tax Updates lecture in January. Debra Bergstrom, Alexia Maria Di Fabio, Martha Scherr and Fabio Ferrari, who worked the AICR Happy Hour welcome table. Martha Scherr, who found our Holiday Party location. Marco and Flaminia Elser, who invited us to the exclusive Circolo della Caccia. Thank you!

AICR Groups and EventsMany have proposed suggestions to the management and board for event ideas you have. If AICR is not able to organize them on behalf of the Club, you are encouraged to informally organize and/or create a group within AICR. Any questions? Ask the office.

AICR Photographer & VideoWe are looking for a photographer for our events. We would also love to have a short video made of AICR. If you are interested or know someone who is, please let us know.

AICR news - Winter 2015 5

aicr new members

Please join us in welcoming the following new members:Carla Biccari Tax Lawyer Exxonmobil Carolyn Delli Santi Real Estate Agent Coldwell Banker Immobiliare Giuseppe FamularoGovernment OfficialMinistry of Justice Elisabetta LanteroSenate of the Italian Republic Isaia RosicaCollaboratorLa Casella

Shadia Sadaqa Graduate Student Luiss University

Andrea Lapiello iRome Group Roberto MascilongoVPSoul Vest Capital

Piergianna Menga Lawyer

Daniele Cevolo Doctor in Jurisprudence European Institute For Export Compliance (EIFEC)

Fabrizio Felloni Senior Evaluation Officer International Fund for Agricultural Development

Pina Foti Managing Director ILS Group/ Studio Italia

Peter Geissler Intellectual Property Attorney Geissler & Associates Leonardo Scimmi Lawyer Societe Generale Salpi Suzmeian Trademark Clerk Geissler & Associates


member profile

Member Profile: Damiana La Peraby Carol Markino

It was a pleasure to speak with long time AICR member Damiana La Pera. She wel-comed me with a warm smile into her comfortable “Prati” home located in the prestigious neighborhood adjacent to the Vatican.Damiana is Roman through and through, a true “pratarola”, who has spent many years abroad either studying or traveling. She ex-perienced the mythical coast to coast road trip traveling by car from New York to San Francisco via Route 80. She has traveled extensively for work and pleasure in North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. Damiana spoke lovingly of her recently de-ceased mother, Giuliana, and how proud she was of her daughter. They shared a very close relationship and on one of Dami-ana’s many US trips, she invited her mother to join her. Considering her mother was in her late 70s at the time, she never com-plained as her daughter made her walk miles and miles visiting for more than a month Boston, Cape Cod, NYC, Washing-ton D.C. and other cities on the East Coast. Damian’s mother, Giuliana, studied pia-no at the St Cecilia Conservatory for ten years. She also taught music and was a se-rene mother. “She was a great woman...” who encouraged her daughter to be like her: open minded and true to herself. In Rome during the Nazi occupation in 1943, there were numerous small heroic acts by unknown people. One of them was per-formed by a young twenty year old Giuli-ana and Ada, Damiana’s grandmother. These two strong women lived across the

street from the Carabinieri military bar-racks in Via delle Milizie, which was controlled by the Nazis at the time. One day five Carabinieri soldiers managed to escape and ran into the first building they found. They were lucky to have found Giuli-ana and Ada who helped them by giving them a change of clothes, concealing their uniforms under the bed and hiding the sol-diers in the small narrow room at the top of the steps which contained the motor of the elevator. Instead of panicking, Ada, a brave woman, told her daughter, Giuliana, to leave the front door half open. So when the gun toting Nazis saw it, they decided to move on without entering. Being raised by such strong, determined and fearless women definitely influenced Damiana. She is not the type to shy away from hard work or a good challenge. In fact, Damiana has worked from 1980 at the “Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri” (PCM) as a manager dealing with interna-tional issues: G8, OECD, EU. She has nev-

member profile

er stopped studying: she won a scholarship at the British Council to study in London and a Fulbright scholarship in the U.S. Her American time was spent as a pres-tigious Fulbright scholar at Harvard Uni-versity at the John F. Kennedy School of Government (KSG). In 1988, this was a watershed event for Damiana. She is still grateful to both the American Government and the University of Harvard for giving her the privilege to study at one of the best and most innovative universities in the world. In fact, Damiana recounted a story. When her time at KSG was about to finish, her depart-ment heads urged her to stay on to com-plete her research. They even sent an of-ficial letter asking her then employer (PCM / Scuola Superiore della Pubblica Ammin-strazione) to grant additional leave to the “talented, resourceful, effective” young Ital-ian woman, to which they did. Damiana’s fruitful experience with Fulbright eventually led her to become the current

President of the Associazione Italiana Fulbright (www.fulbrightitalia.it). The As-sociation offers the 8000 Fulbrighters liv-ing throughout Italy, the chance to meet, network and create personal and business relationships. As President, Damiana has planed and organized various types of cul-tural, gala and sport events, like the gala she organized a few years ago at Circolo Montecitorio where every single detail was focused on ancient Rome – from the food to the music and even the waiters’ costumes. Professionally, Damiana started working as a Law and Economics teacher in a high school in the charming seaside town of Formia. This meant a long daily commute for her. Fortunately by winning a civil ser-vant competition held by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, she was hired for a post as manager in Florence, to work at the breathtaking office in via Tornabuoni. After another six months commute, she was called by the Presidenza of Palazzo Chigi

The American International Club of Rome8


member profile

in Rome for a post, were she’s been work-ing ever since. Palazzo Chigi is the official residence of the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic. As you can imagine, working there is both exciting and demanding. It’s were history is determined daily and you actually wit-ness, a day in advance, what will happen tomorrow. For the most part, Damina’s work has been concerned with the Pubblica Amminstra-zione and for issues regarding the Europe-an Union and International Relations. She has worked with three Secretary Generals with whom she has had wonderful, fulfilling experiences and has received much praise from them and also internationally from OECD among others. Her work at Palazzo Chigi has meant frequent trips to Brussels and the European Institutions located there. Her studies and work experience in “Ceri-moniale” were useful when she worked on several large scale events such as OCSE

and G8 meetings. In 2000, Damiana re-ceived the ‘Premio per la Qualità della Prestazione Individuale’ for International Relations from PCM. This award has been given to her for having shown a very high level of organizational skills and compe-tence. Damiana holds a Master Degree in Euro-pean Studies. Not only has she attended lessons, but she has also been involved in teaching and research at LUISS University in the Political Science Department. In her free time, Damiana enjoys attending dance lessons where she dances rock and roll, cha cha cha, waltz, tango, mambo etc. She also likes going to the gym, running and playing tennis. Damiana has been a loyal AICR member since 1985. In the early 90’s, she orga-nized a tennis tournament at the North American College grounds for AICR mem-bers and their families and friends. For the February 1994 monthly luncheon, she organized yet another successful event, where three hundred members attended to hear the then Italian Senator Antonio Mac-canico (Undersecretary to the Prime Minis-ter Carlo Azeglio Ciampi) speak. Honored guests included the then American Ambas-sador, Reginald Bartholomew and an Ital-ian Ambassador De Bosis. Damiana enjoys the link our club provides with the US and sees it as a way to keep in touch with America, her second home. She still has a letter dated January 21, 1988 where then President Douglas Denby (Presi-dent of John Cabot University) wrote “... Ms La Pera has been a member in good stand-ing... and has participated in and helped with many of the club’s activities.”

roman life


Villa Borghese – Stories of stone, aqueducts and the Old Oak Treeby Elizabeth Celi

Bella Roma, full of history, architecture and statues brimming with the spirit of ancient civilisations. Everywhere you turn, the spirit of a sculptor’s elaborate fountain, an archi-tect’s building feat or an Emperor’s power-ful reign surrounds us. Who would have thought that so much stone and rock, above and below us, could share such fascination! You’d be forgiven after a while though if it all got a bit much. Where you wish some of nature’s greener elements could surround us. Perhaps ancient trees, a relaxing lake and vibrant flowers. This is exactly what Beth Blosser opened up for us during a second walking tour for AICR members through Villa Borghese. I later met with her to find out more over an espresso. Beth is a natural garden designer

contracted in the Municipal Office of Histor-ical Gardens and Villas through the private company Zetema. Over the course of her garden designing career, she has worked on many gardens and courtyards including private terrace designs, St. Paul’s within the Walls and upcoming plans for the Church of St Gregory the Great in 2015.

The first tour Beth did for AICR members opened up the locked, secret gardens of Villa Borghese. Tours through these secret gardens stopped around 2009. So AICR members had the unique privilege of Beth’s botanical knowledge to further appreciate the story of these colourful blooms. Not least the strange citrus tree called “Buddha’s hand” or the rare Hibiscus mutabilis which flowers in October, which we managed to peak through a fence!

On the second AICR walk arranged with Beth, we learnt more about a portion of this

roman life


vast private property that the Borghese fam-ily owned from 1604 through to 1904. Beth talked us through the former Borghese fam-ily stone built “wine cooler”, the sea-horse fountain and the Lake Garden with the Temple of Esculapio. Which Beth lovingly described as, “everyone in the day needed to have their own Temple!” After the unifica-tion of Italy in the mid-late 1800s, the taxes on aristocratic estates became arduous. So in 1904, Villa Borghese was bought by the City of Rome. Subsequently opening it as a public park that is very much loved by its citizens.

You very quickly discover the enormity of Villa Borghese. Although its 80 hectares make it ‘only’ the third largest public park of Rome. Walks through Villa Pamphili (larg-est) and Villa Ada (second largest) await another day! So in meeting with Beth to discover more, ones desire to escape from the stone city chaos into nature’s greener elements revealed a few more gems of re-laxation, peace and healing that Villa Bor-ghese offers.

Once you walk into Villa Borghese, the clear decibel drop makes it rather easy for the relaxation to start. Add a myriad of path-ways, parks and benches under tree cano-pies and your bones just start to vibrate with peacefulness. You’d think that’d be enough to let the healing begin, but wait there’s more! The Lake Garden not only houses the Temple of Esculapio, it also had a portion of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct running through it. Last but not least, a 400 year old Holm Oak Tree continues to thrive beside the Temple. Imagine if we could hear the stories this Oak tree could tell of Villa Borghese!

The Temple of Esculapio in the Lake Garden reveres Esculapio (Aesculapius), the God of Medicine and Healing and son of Apollo. The relief still on the front of this Temple conveys the good omen story of the snake swimming to Tiber Island, the original loca-tion of the first Temple of Esculapio.


roman life

As Beth described, Esculapio learnt the art of healing and medicine from a Centaur, half horse/half man. The essence of his healing focus was represented in a frieze within the temple, now unfortunately a lost piece. As the story of old goes, those be-fallen with illness would fall asleep in this Temple of Medicine, where their dreams would be the cure for their ailment. The water surrounding Tiber Island is now represented in the waters of the Lake Gar-den in Villa Borghese, once fed by the Fe-lix aqueduct. On the way up from Piazzale Flaminio, it fed other fountains in addition to running through the Lake Garden, ending at the Trevi Fountain. This portion of aque-duct was not the only one under Borghese control. In the late 1500’s, Pope Paul V restored and added his name to the aqueduct built by Emperor Trajan. Reviving the aqueduct meant buying back the original water sourc-es around Lake Bracciano. Almost all the ancient sources were acquired except the most important spring, owned by the Orsini family. The Orsini family wouldn’t sell. So having to also rely on lake water, the wa-ter was fit to fuel fountains but undrinkable. This formed the basis of a common wise-crack, Beth revealed, whenever something didn’t quite work -”It’s like the Aqua Paola!”

These icons of the healing temple and run-ning water are accompanied by one final piece of nature to absorb in Villa Borghese’s Lake Garden. The 400 year old Holm Oak

Tree, to the right of the Temple. This is one of the oldest trees of Villa Borghese matur-ing from its original seeding 400 years ago. This tree saw the second building of the Tem-ple of Esculapio built in the late 1700s-early 1800s! A symbol of courage and power, the mighty oak tree is known to stand strong through many things.

So when your surrounds of stone and stat-ues need reviving with natures greener ele-ments, be sure to say hello to the ancient Oak Tree in our “back yard”, a mere 400 years old. You never know, your peaceful relaxation in the Lake Garden while soaking up the healing vibes of the Temple may at-tune you to ‘hearing’ the tales of Esculapio held within the wisdom of the Oak tree! Thank you to AICR and Beth Blosser for opening up more of Villa Borghese’s charm for us. Happy reinvigoration as you stroll through the greener elements of Villa Bor-ghese in our bella Roma.


travel

Trieste, a fascinating cityby Carla Francini

When visiting Trieste, you will see just how interesting and beautiful this city actually is for its typical style, culture and natural beau-ty like the remarkable architectural styles of its palaces, in particular the Hapsburg style, and the Roman ruins. The city is es-pecially famous for great literary presences like James Joyce, Italo Svevo and Umberto Saba. It is pleasant to stroll around Trieste to see its many museums, Neoclassical and Art-nouveau buildings, the San Giusto Hill, the Cathedral and Castle, a true symbol of the city itself. Worth seeing are definitely the stately 19th century buildings, which adorn the historic seaside Piazza Unità d’Italia, site of the town hall and also the largest square facing the sea.

Trieste is likewise well-known for its historic traditions like its coffee and the Cafés, dat-ing back to the second half of the eighteenth

century, probably following the example of many fashionable places in Venice, but with a unique Viennese atmosphere owing to their interior decorations and the services offered. Today around the Cafés we can find students studying and preparing lec-tures and notes, but their ancient historical rhythm and colours still remain unchanged, as in the past when they were the privileged meeting places for artists, writers and politi-cians.

travel


Trieste is a city of science as well, here there is the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Their global efforts to advance scientific expertise in the develop-ing world deserves to be mentioned.

Because of its history, this merchant seaside town with its international port has become an intersection of races, cultures and reli-gions that have made the natives particu-larly open, tolerant, sophisticated and en-amoured of life. The city’s position along the gulf has favoured a close relationship with the sea at its heart.

Trieste has an amazing coastline shaped by white cliffs and rocks, with Miramare and Duino Castles on the sea front, and some natural attractions you’ll surely want to visit such as the Grotta Gigante, which is one of the biggest natural caves in the world. The beautiful Barcola coastline, that stretches from the town to Miramare Castle, becomes the locals’ beach during the summer.

The sea is a very important aspect of Trieste.

Boating and especially sailing are very popular in the gulf, where hundreds of sail-boats of all shapes and sizes can be seen. In October Trieste becomes even more fasci-nating during the famous Barcolana event. The annual Barcolana regatta, in the Gulf of Trieste, is in fact one of the largest sailing races in the world with over 1,800 partici-pants. The first race actually dates back to 1969 and has taken place once a year ever since.

To really understand the spirit of Barcolana, you must arrive in Trieste at the beginning of the week to see the young champions sailing on their Optimists for the Barcolana Young, in which they race like true champi-ons to win their sailing prizes.

The spirit of Barcolana is naturally complet-ed by the glamour of the Barcolana Classic with the presence of the famous genius na-val architect Carlo Sciarrelli’s classic wood-en boats. I had the pleasure to speak with Mr. Celeghini, owner of Freya – a beautiful two masts boat – who explained to me how much care these wooden boats actually re-


travel

quire. I also talked with the Jena No Borders Team members of the maxi yacht of Furio Benussi and Mitja Kosmina, who made a comeback to Trieste to try the enterprise of combining sports, business and passion, just like Furio Benussi’s project to lead a joint venture between business men and the Udinese Italian Football Club, which was in-deed an idea of the live entrepreneur heart of this city.

Thus it’s understandable, why the sea and sailing is so important here and why so many sailors came from Trieste. A beauti-ful and precious sailing quote, to also keep in mind for life, comes from the legendary war hero and Olympic champion Admiral Agostino Straulino, who used to say “We have to use the mild wind that is blowing at the moment because calm does not exist and you always have to look for wind”. The centenary of Agostino Straulino’s birth was last year and during this celebration at the Yacht Club Adriaco, it was possible to learn about his brilliant and amazing story, which has mainly remained unknown. Trieste is full of fascinating stories and his-tory you may not realize before arriving here, in this eastern extreme corner of the Upper Adriatic sea. So come to visit Trieste, everyone is invited, enjoy its art, culture, monuments, museums and maybe even see the winner of the next Barcolana race arrive just in front of the amazing Piazza Unità d’Italia.


proust questionnaire

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?Sharing experiences with those you love. Whilst locations can be stunning and exquisite, they will always be remembered with the company you share them with.

2. What is your greatest fear? That one day we wake up to a world war that can-not be stopped.

3. Which living person do you most admire? Sir Alan Sugar.

4. Who are your favorite writers? Bill Bonner and Alpesh Patel both renowned within the financial field.

5. Which talent would you most like to have? I’d love to be able to sing in a way that gives peo-ple pleasure (not the case at present), but to be able to predict the future correctly (especially in the financial sector) would be a very useful talent.

6. What is your most treasured possession? Memories are most treasured, but in terms of ma-terial items a royal household tie and cufflink set presented to me following a private audience with the Pope, where I also receive a rosary he blessed.

7. When and where were you happiest? I’ve had special moments in many places: Madrid, Monaco and Dubai. I could also list getting married, the births of my children, becoming a grandfather and many more. So I look to the now not the past, for Rome and the lady I share it with, are very special to me.

Whilst Paul Howard is a UK national, he’s been working outside the UK now for eight years. He moved to Rome in April 2013 from Nice, were he worked as consultant in Monaco within the offshore financial services industry. Before that he lived in Madrid, where he met his lovely wife Lisa.

Special Valentine Edition AICR Proust Questionnaire with Paul Howard



1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?Knowing that your partner is your best friend and soul mate as well as being your husband. Oh and a deep warm bubble bath, with a good book, candles and a good glass of wine.

2. What is your greatest fear? Snakes and spiders.

3. Which living person do you most admire? My father, he brought me up from the age of 9 as a single parent and sacrificed so much of his own life to ensure that I had a solid education and everything I could wish for.

4. Who are your favorite writers? Jean Sasson is my favorite by far. She’s written many novels depicting women’s roles and treat-ment within the Middle East.

5. Which talent would you most like to have? I would have really liked to have been an eques-trian horsewomen, but in truth I have only had dreams of this rather than experience.

6. What is your most treasured possession? A photograph of my grandfather at the private school he owned in Kampala, Uganda before the family was deposed by Idi Amen in 1972.

7. When and where were you happiest? Madrid 2008–2011 was a very special time in my life for many reasons. I made some lifelong friends there, enjoyed all of the splendor of this magnificent city and of course met my future husband Paul.

Lisa Howard was born in the northwest of England, in the potteries, famous for producing fine china such as Royal Daulton and Wedgewood. With her husband Paul, she’s been living in Rome since April 2013. As business adminis-trator within the financial field, she spends most of her time supporting the busy Rome office and training other BFMI administration staff across the EU.

Special Valentine Edition AICR Proust Questionnaire with Lisa Howard



8. What is your most marked characteristic?

Paul: Determination to succeed.

Lisa: I love to be organized and in control of my time.

9. What do you consider your greatest achieve-ment?

Paul: As the Chair of the finance committee of the newly formed St Peter’s Cricket Club (the Vatican), I played a major role in raising the funds and orga-nizing to send 15 Roman seminaries to play cricket against the Anglican Church in 2014. I’m proud that this first time in history event between the two faiths, has now snowballed into an interfaith initia-tive which could spread worldwide.

Lisa: Making my father proud of the woman I’ve become. Over the past 6 years I’ve focused on my career, working my way up through the ranks to become a fully qualified financial advisor, adminis-trator and trainer. To further advance my standing within this field, I’m studying for an international qualification.

10. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Paul: I don’t really follow fiction much, however being British, my choice falls on James Bond, 007. I especially like the fact that he gets younger as others grow old.

Lisa: Sherlock Holmes is a great favorite of mine, whilst not a hero in the same way as superman, to me he always had that something special.


short list

Short List - What’s hot now!by Kathy Araco

Movie: Selma. Ava DuVernay’s film takes us back to a tu-multuous moment in American history: the 1965 protest voting-rights march that took place in Alabama, where 600 peaceful marchers, led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr., were attacked with clubs and tear gas by armed officers. Nomi-nated in four categories at the Golden Globes, Selma has already won many awards among which movie of the year at the AFI, NY Film Critics and Boston Online Film Critics Awards. Predominantly, the film has received very positive feedback from top critics and praises for the performances of its leading actors. Ultimately, the movie is both mesmeriz-ing drama and a timely history lesson on the importance of standing up together for what we believe is right no matter the odds. Definitely worth seeing.

Album: Shadows In The Night. First studio album to be re-leased in early February since the Tempest in 2012. Know who am talking about? It’s Robert Allen Zimmerman…doesn’t seem to ring a bell? Well, he’s one of the most im-portant music legends in the world, whose music has influ-enced and inspired millions of people for decades. Famous worldwide in art as Bob Dylan. This album is not merely a covers album to him. It’s special. In fact he says that it’s not about covering these songs, as much as “uncovering them by lifting them out of the grave and bringing them into the light of day.” Poetic indeed and like Rob Stringer says, he’s managed to find a way to infuse these songs with new life and contemporary relevance.

website: sylviabrowder.com This one is for the ladies. A Blog for Women Entrepreneurs (and all women in general) really worth checking out! Here you’ll find countless interesting articles on various topics rang-

ing from entrepreneurship, financial wealth to health, wellness, spirituality, beauty and much more. Business planning and strategies, marketing, interviews of success-ful authors and business women, reviews and even fashion tips. All this thanks to founder Sylvia Browder, a brilliant woman whose purpose and passion in life is to serve women entrepreneurs, by sharing her expertise to empower and help women worldwide take charge of their personal success. So don’t hold yourself back…let it be an inspiration for you too.


short list

DVD: Life Itself. Based on Roger Ebert’s memoirs, film producer Steve James’ movie adaptation can be considered a captivating portrait of a man who embraced life and art to the fullest, reveal-ing his extraordinary life as Pulitzer prize-winning film critic and beloved husband, writer and mentor. A significant portion of the film is told in Ebert’s own voice, with frank candor and optimism –although Ebert was fighting his battle with cancer which he ulti-mately lost in 2013. Critics describe the movie as richly satisfying, engrossing and moving. It’s fitting that after reviewing films his whole life, he’s the protagonist of one himself.

Book: A spool of Blue Thread. It’s listed among the most an-ticipated books for 2015 for good reason. Author Anne Tyler is a prominent American novelist, who has published over nineteen novels and has won many literary awards, among which a Pulitzer Prize for Breathing Lessons (1988). Like so many of her previous works, this novel focuses on the im-portance of family. Ms. Tyler is well-known for her particular talent in creating and shaping her characters in the reader’s mind, through the use of remarkably realistic details. While flashing back and forth between the four generations of the Whitshanks family, she depicts beautifully –in her unique way– the family ties, the bonds and the tensions, the love and the exasperation which characterize their relationships. Considering Anne Tyler said this will be her last book, it’s surely worth reading.

Classics: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Taking queue from the Civil Rights Movement mentioned above, it seems fitting to end this list by focusing on one of its activist, Maya Angelou, who collaborated first with Malcolm X –before his assassination– and later with Martin Luther King, Jr. This book became a bestseller immediately after it was published in 1969. Although for years it was often considered fiction, it’s an autobiography written as literature. Unlike other memoirs of her time, it’s original and unique as she suc-ceeds in altering literary structures with the use of innovat-ing writing techniques. Its title is symbolic of the book itself and takes after a verse of the poem Sympathy written by Laurence Dunbar, an African-American poet she greatly admired. In revealing the author’s life story, this modern American classic deals with the issues of identity, rac-ism, rape and literacy. Yet, The Caged Bird sings of freedom, it is a testament to the power of words and a symbol of strength overcoming struggle. A brilliant achieve-ment indeed, highly recommend.


aicr silver business members & discounts

Ciao Italia, Italian language and cultural center. Discount on all courses of 10%. Intensive/Non intensive courses. Day/Evening. Small groups. CILS/CELI certification. Courses at home/office. Extensive courses (E2): Twice a week, 145 euro per month + registration feeTel. 064814084 Via Delle Frasche 5, (Via Nazionale) Metro B-Stop Cavour. www.ciao-italia.it [email protected]

Order personalized floral designs by DebraFlower for that special touch and have them delivered free (Rome and within 5 km. outside Raccordo). Weddings! Events! [email protected], www.debraflower.blogspot.comwww.debraflowerit.blogspot.com Via Castel di Leva, 262

10% off hair cut and color services from Noi Salon,Tel. 06 3600 6284; Piazza del Popolo 3, [email protected],www.noisalon.com

Margrit Ch. Mau, Independent Distributor Forever Living Products.15-48% discount on natural and certified products of FLP, Leader in growing, producing and distributing ALOE Vera – Products. Opportunity: 2° income with worldwide activity. www.idffy.it/mmau [email protected].: 06 5258280 Cell.: 347 3639178

Catering services: International cuisine – Italian, Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Mexican and European...Cooking classes for adults and children. Food tours.Contact Francesa Flore of La Luna nel PiattoTel.: 339 6230393 [email protected], www.lalunanelpiatto.com

Discounts and listings from our silver Business Members. Take advantage of important discounts at many local businesses,

thanks to your AICR Membership.

aicr business membersAICR thanks our Business Members who provide benefits for

AICR members and support the Club.

Avis Autonoleggio - Rent a CarItalian Headquarters: Viale Carmelo Bene 70, 00139 Rome

[email protected] Reservations: www.avisautonoleggio.it/aicrome

Call Center: 199 100 133 (Outside Italy + 39 06 45 21 08 391)Quote Avis Worldwide - Discount (AWD) - number W465200

Rome International SchoolTel. 06 84482650/1 - Via Guglielmo Pecori Giraldi, 137 - 00135 - Rome, Italy

www.romeinternationalschool.it - [email protected]/romeinternationalschool

St. John’s UniversityVia Marcantonio Colonna, 21A - Rome Italy 00192 - Tel. 06-393842

or Toll Free Number in Italy: 800 971736 - Fax: +39 06 39384200

DIAMOND

Platinum

Marymount International SchoolTel. 06 36 29 101 Fax: 06 36 30 1738 - Via di Villa Lauchli 180 - 00191 Rome

[email protected] - www.marymountrome.org

Gold

Expatriate American Taxwww.ExpatriateAmericanTax.com - [email protected]

US Tel +1 212-777-0807 Italy: 347-328-4339 - US Fax +1 212-242-2820Via Leonina, 83 - 00184 - Rome, Italy

silver

See listings and discount information from our Silver Business members on page 22.

AICR past events photos

Documents

AICR Winter 2015