Auguri di Compleanno, Bon Anniversaire

Another year, a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer water down your pants. (Quote from the Mary Tyler Moore show). Birthdays are a funny thing for me, each year is different, different cities or continent, in all kinds of places. This year in Ottawa, though we are suppose to be in Spring now it is still cold and full of snow, however all this is set to change dramatically by Thursday when temperatures soar to 10C over night and a massive melt will start quickly, meaning floods, ah Spring in Ottawa.

I have many things to be thankful for on this Birthday, good health, good teeth, my dentist told me this week that for a man my age having all my teeth is remarkable. It seems that like 300 years ago most people in their fifties today have lost a large amount of teeth or are looking at dentures.

We have a nice home, friends, our dogs and each other. We still travel a lot, I have taken in my lifetime more trips to exotic, strange and foreign lands than anyone I know. I have seen 45% of the planet and have lived in many countries for extended part of my life. Going abroad for a few days does not appear on my chart. I have studied and learned foreign languages. I understand quite a few others and am not lost or put off by foreign cultures or mores when I travel.

I now work as a volunteer in two National Museums in Ottawa and I enjoy it immensely. Spending easily upwards of 50 hours a month doing volunteer work, it is like a second career and it is fun, something I always wanted to do and can now do. Not a bad life Maggie Muggins.

Here are some pictures of little me through the ages.

In Ville Saint-Laurent in our backyard in the little pool, I am about 5 yrs old with my little brother.

My first morning going to school, grade 1, on my own in Quebec City

On the train in Poland going from Warsaw to Krakow, 1998.

Italian Cooking School near Rome 2009

In Rome in 2013 at dinner at our friends house

With our Reesie in Rome in 2008 our first apartment on Via Asmara

 In Assisi in 2010

At dinner in Salzburg at the Sketch Bar, Hotel Bristol

With Nicky in Rome on Via dei Villini

On the old Via Latina, with one of the many old aqueducts, Rome

At the monastery of Pedralbes in Barcelona

 At Cap Sounion near Athens at sun down 2010

In the Silk Merchant Guild Hall in Valencia, Spain

Breakfast Italian style at the Hotel in Ragusa Ibla, Sicily  

On the Island of Capri

At the Festival in Salzburg the Karl Bohm Hall 

Infamous photo abroad the Azamara where I was mistaken for Karl Lagerfeld 

Café Bazar, Salzburg, my favourite café at Festival time.

The little wood house in which Mozart wrote his music, beautifully preserved in the garden of the Mozarteum in Salzburg

This for me is the most beautiful fountain in Rome, the Turtles fountain in the area of the Portico Ottavia and the old Ghetto

With Professor A. Testa on Easter Sunday in Rome 2010 

On Via Appia looking for Spartacus 

On board Air Transat going to Italy, a good airline 

21 Aprile, 753 A.C. Auguri Roma! Belleza Aeterna!

Today 21 April marks the birthday of Rome, the historical date marking when Romulus traced the Pomerium (Sacred boundary of the City) in 753 BCE. Making Rome 2766 years old.

In 1919 the Italian composer Puccini composed this Anthem to Rome (Inno a Roma). The Italian phrase ''Tu non vedrai nessuna cosa al mondo, maggior di Roma'' says it all. You will never see anywhere in the whole world a City as great as Rome. I can honestly say that this is true, nothing compares to it, a City both beautiful and eternal.

The anthem is sung here by Apollo Granforte on a recording which is at least 85 years old.




The story goes that Aeneas Prince of Troy fled the fallen city at the end of the Trojan War and sailed the Mediterranean Sea and finally landed near Laurentum just south-west of the actual site of Rome, married the daughter of a King and his son Ascanius established the Julio-Claudian line which would give us the first Emperor of Rome, Octavian Augustus nephew of Julius Caesar. Augustus claimed direct descent from Aeneas and his mother the goddess Venus.

The story of Aeneas had to be reconciled with that of Romulus and Remus who are said to be the sons of the god of war, Mars. One has to remember that Mars was the favourite god of Augustus and that the Aeneid of Virgil was written under his reign. The date of 21 April is the Feast day of Pales, the goddess of Shepherds. It was a shepherd Faustulus who found Romulus and Remus being nurtured by a she-wolf, the exact spot is in the Roman Forum near the Senate of Rome.

How many cities do you know in this world who have such a founding story.

Altar to the Nation, Piazza Venezia, Rome

Porta Pia, Rome 

24 March

Today is my birthday, many friends have sent good wishes and I thank them all.

We are now in Spring time Canadian style which means that snow is still on the ground. Though it is still winter weather in parts of Europe too, but warmer weather is just around the corner.

In 2011 photo taken in Vienna at the Hofburg Palace.

Today 24 March 2013 at Le Café, Centre national des Arts, Ottawa

This Begonia Bonsai is my birthday gift from Will, Nicky and Nora

Happy Birthday!

Happy 2764!

Tu non vedrai nessuna cosa maggior di Roma, (you will never see anything in the world like Rome).

On 21 April we mark the foundation of the City of Rome by Romulus in what is today the Roman Forum at the foot of the Palatine Hill. The story goes that the God Mars impregnated the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia daughter of King Numitor of Alba Longa, leaving her pregnant with twins. Once born they were quickly abandoned on the banks of the river Tiber. A she-wolf took them in and nursed them along with her young, later shepherds raised them in a hut by what was to be a few centuries later the site of the Senate of Rome. Romulus set his hut on the Palatine hill and Remus is on the Aventine hill. Remus made fun of Romulus's pretension in trying to create a city and Romulus killed his brother for it and there you have it ROME! A city which grew in ancient times to become the centre of the then known world with a population of one million, we would have to wait until 1850 to see any other city, London come close in size.

There will be a big fireworks display on 21 April along the banks of the Tiber, AUGURI ROMA! Tu non vedrai nessuna cosa maggior di Roma!

Dea Roma watching over the tomb of the unknown Italian Soldier at the Altar of the Nation ROME

regalo e passeggiata

It has been a busy weekend, a reflective one and an enjoyable one. Birthday Dinner on Thursday night with our friends Walter, Vincenzo and Larry at a Spanish Tapas bar at 79 Via Nomentana, Toros y Tapas. Then Friday night another dinner party this time at the Anatra Grassa (the fat duck), wonderful food with great wines to match every dish an elaborate menu of seafood and fish dishes prepared by Chef Giovanni Scomazzon.

Temple of Augustus, Ostia Antica, March 26, 2011

On Saturday we toured Ostia Antica the old port of Rome only 35 minutes by train from our home, never been there in 4 years but well worth seeing, in the evening we went to the Disco Volante on Via Alessandria with Brigitte and Collette. Today, Sunday it was lunch at the Antica Taverna Kosher del Ghetto at the Portico d'Ottavia, with all the wonderful Roman-Jewish specialties developed over 3000 years in Rome, no smoke meat or bagels here. We then walk across the old Fabricio Bridge to Trastevere for ice cream, the weather has been sunny and so Spring like in the last few days and now with the time change suddenly the days are longer. I have been spoiled by my friends with wonderful gifts.

Toros y Tapas, Via Nomentana, one of many wonderful gifts I received.

I am also reflective, I am at a junction and unsure about the future, I suppose we can never be sure of the future, the uncertainty, the anxiety, has to do more with returning to Canada and getting re-acquainted with life in North America.  Maybe I imagine it to be more difficult than it will really be. Walking today in Trastevere, looking at the Tiber river, I took a long look at it all, we visited the Church of Santa Cecilia built by Cardinal Aquaviva and Santa Maria in Trastevere. You need good walking shoes for the uneven cobbled streets, there is so much to look at, to appreciate. In the last few months this is what I want to do.

In Ostia Antica on the Cardo

At 55 in Rome

Well another birthday in another great setting. I am really fortunate, to be able to celebrate major birthday in great cities of the world, Mexico City, Cairo, Istanbul, Warsaw, Beijing, Rome.  It certainly makes up for not having a Betty Crocker Chocolate cake my Mom use to make, the icing was so sweet you felt your teeth growing cavities. Had wonderful parties through the years with good friends. This year is the same, lunch today at the Enoteca on Via Alessandria with Linda, Gail and Jolka. Tonite it will be Spanish Tapas at a nice restaurant on Via Nomentana. Tomorrow night we are going to the Anatra Grassa and chef Giovanni Scomazzon is preparing a special menu. This is what I enjoy the most and of course Will who always comes up with a special surprise. Even Nicky and Nora our little hounds came up with a bouquet of flowers, clever dogs. Apparently I can start getting some senior discounts as of today, amazing.

  1959, in front of our old black and white television at home, 52 yrs separate this photo from the top one. My hair is a little whiter.

Rome's Birthday

Rome was born 21 April 753 BC or BCE if you prefer. So Wednesday Rome will be 2763 years old. Yes there are older cities in the world, Athens for one about 3500 years or Thebes (Luxor) in Egypt (5300). All these ancient cities were founded in time immemorial and myth surround their creation. Athens was founded by King Cecrops, a creature half man, half snake. Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens after a competition with the Sea God Poseidon. It is interesting to note that Athens at its height was a significant sea power, at one point defeating the Persian fleet at Salamis in a sea battle.
Rome is no different, founded by Romulus and Remus and protected by the Goddess Roma, who looks a lot like Athena. Today at the Monument to Italian Unity, on Piazza Venezia, the statue of the Goddess stands guard over the tomb of the unknown soldier.
It was Emperor Augustus who gave the city the title of Eternal. Has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church. Augustus was referring to Rome as in the Roman Empire being eternal.
In the case of Rome the foundation of the city happens after Romulus murders his brother Remus who had made fun of his idea of having a sacred boundary (Pomerium). Many years later Romulus himself will be murdered mysteriously by the people of Rome and his body cut up in pieces. He was apparently a bit full of himself.
My wish for this birthday is that we start restricting car traffic around historic sites and clean up and repair the infrastructure.
Roma Emozioni sensa fine! Auguri Roma!

Dinner menu

Here is the Birthday dinner menu prepared for us by my caterer:
Velouté aux Poireaux (Leek cream soup)
Entrée: Paté d'Artichaux et Emincé de "Coniglio porchettato" Oignons confits (paté of arthichokes and rabbit with glazed pearl onions)
Plat principal: Tagliata de Boeuf Duroc et Julienne de Legumes croquants (filet of beef in cognac sauce with julienne crunchy veg)
Salade Mixte Saisonnière (small green salad)
dessert Soufflé au Grand Marnier (Grand marnier individual soufflé)

We had proseco to start with hors d'oeuvres and for dinner a white frascati and red Italian merlot from the Lazio region, dessert wine and liqueur.

It was an excellent dinner, no stress and so pleasant with good friends. The caterer also had place settings made for each guest with a photo of me taken in the last 24 months in different places. It was a very elegant evening.
As for gifts I got lucky, 3 bottles of vintage Veuve Cliquot Champagne, a beautiful shirt and lead soldiers.

My caterer is a Canadian who came to Italy and started her company with her husband in Frascati which is just outside Rome
www.aroundrome.it

She is catering a dinner on an historical 1930 vintage Rome Street Car for the Canadian Club of Rome in late April, that should be a great evening crossing the city by street car while having dinner. See www.canadianclubofrome.blogspot.com