rome blog

It’s almost Easter now but an interesting exhibition still on-going in Rome brings us back to the Carnival atmosphere. “Carnevale Romano” is the title of this temporary exhibition which is located in the Museo di Roma of Palazzo Braschi, just nearby Piazza Navona. A collection of over 90 art pieces, including prints of Bartolomeo and Achille Pinelli, watercolours of Jean Louis Baptiste Thomas and paintings of Orlov and Werner.

In Italy there are several famous Carnival celebrations: the most glorious one is certainly from Venice but also the one from Viareggio and the historical Carnival of Ivrea attract tourists from all over the world. Not many people know, anyway, that until the second half of 19th century, also in Rome there used to be a famous and of course crazy Carnival. Before Rome was added to the Italian Republic and was still part of the Papal State, the days of Carnival, before Lent, were a unique chance for the lowest social classes to turn the social order upside down and exchange their otherwise very miserable lives for a different life for a brief moment. Many artists, during the centuries, celebrated the crazy atmosphere of Roman Carnival in their Grand Tour diaries: Among these, Goldoni, Belli and a young Goethe, admitting his difficulties in finding right words to describe such an explosion of colours and noises.

The entire zone of the city center was invaded by a mass of people dressed in carnival costumes of Meo Patacca, Rugantino, Cassandrino and other famous local characters of the “Commedia dell’Arte”.

Music, noise, jokes, dissolute and libertine behaviour were characterizing these celebrations. However the main events of the ancient Roman Carnival were 2:
- The race of the Berbers, wild horses which were left running from Piazza del Popolo, all along Via del Corso.
- The final feast of “Moccoletti”: in Roman dialect, Moccoletti were candles that everyone had to fix behind their back. During the final day of Carnival people were trying to turn these candles off from each other.

The “Carnevale Romano” exhibition will last until April 5th, it is open every day but Monday. The opening hours are from 9am to 7pm in Museo di Roma of Palazzo Braschi. Ticket price is 8 euros.
For sure another wonderful occasion to rent apartments in Rome and spend a few days in the Eternal City.

Beauty and art have always been connected. Sometimes, by trying to reflect what is considered beauty for society and sometimes by turning ugliness into something beautiful.

Beauty can be too simple, by lacking expression, something only useful to be contemplated and then forgotten. Youth has always been related to beauty: young and perfect bodies, smooth skin, bright light in young eyes, full of hope, the charm of their naiveté…It has served as an inspiration for many great works. And…on the other hand, we have the old age.

People used to admire these geniuses who created wonderful work and then died leaving a beautiful and young corpse. But it seems that old artists despite creating real works of art –matching up to the transgressor like Kurt Cobain or Francesca Woodman-, fruit of their maturity and wisdom, don’t look so attractive.

John Coplans’ Courage
When John Coplans was 60 years old, already retired from art critics and photography, he started to take pictures of his body, a body with no fakes, showing wrinkles and sags, baldness, and varicose veins. Coplans went beyond provocation and controversy. He wanted to express his life experience, his coexistence with his shield, the part of him which years ago was the fruit of narcissism and self-indulgence.

In front of common photographers who use perfect bodies to communicate more or less deep ideas, John Coplans showed us his entrails without letting us view him as a human being. He used human bodies as a sculpture, like ancient Greek artists, but showing the opposite of beauty, and reacting against a society that only appreciates those bodies and perfect smiles suitable for commercials.

Observing the passing of time in the shocking pictures of Coplans’, in the charming former capital of the Roman Empire you can’t escape from the past. Don’t waste any time and rent a comfortable and cheap accommodation on Apartments in Rome. You can follow the marks of time on your partner’s skin or in the walls of the Colloseum.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio died 400 years ago. For this reason an extraordinary exhibition has been organised to celebrate this anniversary. The location of such an amazing event couldn’t be any other but Rome, the city where the famous Lombard genius realised most of his painting.

An intense life
A lot has been written about the genius of Caravaggio. Sometimes he has been appreciated and considered more for his eccentric and unconventional life than for his special creative ability. Caravaggio seems to be the epitome of a true artist…loose living, genius, bohemian life style; during his youth he has been involved in several criminal actions and was sentenced to prison and even to death penalty for murder. However the bohemian lifestyle of Caravaggio can only be considered to be true partially because he was also very “organic” to the society of his time.

Powerful patrons
He was friends with some members of the influential family of Colonna, he had, as well, several important sponsors, such as the aristocratic cardinal Del Monte, the noble Marcantonio Doria, cardinal Mattei and Vincenzo Giustiniani, probably the richest man in Rome at that time. The protection through these personalities permitted to Caravaggio to express his genius freely, reaching the highest peak of fame.

The exhibtion
For sure it’s not the first exhibition dedicated to Caravaggio but certainly this one gathers the highest number of masterpieces. 24 paintings, coming from the most important museums and galleries of Rome, Italy and rest of the world. The idea of the exhibition is to choose only paintings which have been historically certified as original, excluding, for now, the pieces which are still under critical discussion about their authenticity and those ones which are “second or additional versions” of original pictures.

The “Basket of Fruit” from the Ambrosiana Library of Milan, the “David with Goliath’s Head” from the Borghese Gallery in Rome, the “Amor Vincit Omnia” from the Staatliche Museen in Berlin, the “Lute Player” from the Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg, the “Bacchus” from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the “Boy with the Basket of Fruit” from the Borghese Gallery in Rome…these are just a few of the amazing paintings that we will be able to admire in the exhibition, which has been organised in the elegant location of “Scuderie del Quirinale”, just nearby the “Quirinale Palace”, in the center of Rome.

The exhibition has started on February 20th and will terminate on June 13th. Success has been immediate and over 5000 people are visiting the gallery every day. Considering that price is very honest (10 euros is really not mucg for the number of incredible masterpieces), I would suggest you to rent some Apartments in Rome, visit the exhibition more than once and breath the art feeling in the air.

It’s not certainly a rarity to read about cases of corruption on Italian newspapers. The music takes all different tone when one of these cases leads to a larger scandal, involving Vatican City and a supposed ring of escort service and gay prostitution. Main starring of this story is Angelo Balducci, former head of Italian Public Works Office, recently arrested in range of criminal inquiry.

The investigation regards irregularities committed in public contracts for the organisation of main events such as Sardinian G8 meeting, which was later moved to L’Aquila after the earthquake. Balducci is also a Papal Gentleman. This type of important Papal attendants officiates a role in public ceremonies and happenings, for example welcoming diplomats and heads of state who visit the Pope.

Revealing conversations
During the last two years investigation police recorded many conversations between Balducci and Chinedu Thomas Ehiem, a 40y/o Nigerian man, nicknamed as “Mike”, member of the choir of Cappella Giulia, (a choir used in St. Peter’s Basilica during those ceremonies which don’t involve the presence of the Pope). According to the wiretaps, it seems that Ehiem was obtaining homosexual escorts to Balducci. Dialogues don’t leave any room to imagination, including details about physical descriptions and sexual availabilities of the guys: “Angelo…I got a new German one for you…2 meters tall, 97 kg, completely active”, or, “I got a Cuban one”…”I got one from Naples”…

Seminary students involved
Many times it said the escorts were illegal immigrants, prostituting themselves in change of staying permission or poor young men in need of money. However phone taps reveal that in certain cases the male prostitutes were religious seminary students: in one of the telephone conversations Balducci says “At what time he has to be back in the seminary?” This story has caused embarrassment in Vatican State, also because the title of Papal Gentleman obtained by Balducci during the pontificate of John Paul II, is a life charge and not revocable. He will keep the title but he will be “suspended” and he won’t be called anymore to officiate any role in public ceremonies in Vatican.

In the meanwhile Thomas Ehiem, the Nigerian man, has been dismissed from the St. Peter’s Choir of Cappella Giulia. Mr Balducci instead is not enjoying the comfort of any apartments in Rome: he is currently hosted by the State prison of Regina Coeli (in seclusion). But you can enjoy your Roman stay booking Apartments in Rome, the best way to stay calm and forget this corruption matter.

Theoretically, a secret should be kept and even more so if it has passed from generation to generation. But we decided to be generous and tell you some little secrets to spare you from going to the dentist in these times of crisis. Yes, people are so stressed they are biting down on their jaw. When I had a toothache, my grandmother would prepare me a thyme and eucalyptus infusion with two rose petals. Do you have any secrets to reveal?

Does anyone know, for example, how to open a bottle of champagne that has been shaken without wetting the guests? Simply put its head upside down about thirty seconds. It is true that we do not dine with champagne every day, but this trick is very good for these crucial moments…

Here is another one. When one of your clothes labels rubs on the back of your neck but you don’t really want to cut it off, take a nail file and rub it on the label. That usually does the trick. Scratch smoothly so you don’t remove what is written. People say it works well!

What may be helpful to have a whiter and more beautiful smile without having to try all the toothpastes in the market is to buy green clay and occasionally clean your teeth with it. Others speak of rubbing your teeth with the white part of a lemon before cleaning them or placing a few drops of bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide on your toothbrush. Be careful with the dosage, the product quality and the frequency of the use, everything in excess can be harmful.

And for those who have tasted the anti dark circles, the cold spoons or cucumbers, there is another remedy for the dark and deep circles. It includes taking a swab soaked in skimmed milk. Or you can just sleep more.

And now a trick that your grandmother does not usually teach but you will find out about it through women’s magazines or friends. Did you know that the hot-cold combination increases sexual desire? The hot mint tea is especially recommended because after a few sips of burning menthol, kissing the private parts of your partner will leave a fresh feeling. You can imagine what kinds of pleasures are activated…

The remedies do not always function well in all the individuals, but the best of all is that you try them. We use to reproduce a lot of unusual tricks from other cultures. So your tips are welcome!

Finally, we never will tire of saying that trips are a wonderful solution for boredom because they give you a chance to get away, to be surprised and to tell unforgettable anecdotes. One of the most recommended destinations is the fascinating Italian capital. For a cheap and relaxing stay, rent Apartments in Rome.

Do you remember when having a tattoo was a synonym for the word lout and it was assumed that a tattooed person was somebody with a bad reputation along with a sinister life? So, nowadays, the tattoo’s tacky seafarer image is long a thing of the past. There is an endless list of celebrities getting tattoos, from models, actors, soccer players and, of course, musicians.

But you must remember that tattoos are forever and almost irreversible, unless you want to remove them with surgery, but there is a risk for your skin and the result can be a disaster.
Let me tell you about a surrealistic case, by way of illustration: Johnny Depp, in full ecstasy of love for his girlfriend in those days, Winona Ryder, he had “Winona forever” tattooed on his arm. After the broke up, he had the ‘n’ and ‘a’ surgically removed to simply say “Wino forever!” Not stylish at all, isn’t it?

Haute Couture Tattoos
Well, if you don’t want to run the risk of going through this embarrassing situation, the always surprising Karl Lagerfeld has created for this spring the first line of Chanel transfers. The result is similar to a real tattoo, in the shape of necklaces and chains featuring the brand logo and floral decorations.

The instructions for use are a bit of water, then you can choose a part of your body and that’s all… we have a temporary Chanel accessory. There are several varieties too: the iconic double C’s, chain bracelets, rosary beads and little birdies. You could choose between fifty-five different designs, packaged under the name of Les Trompe L’Oeil de Chanel that will start selling online for around 50 Euros from March 1st.
You don’t need to get yourself inked anymore! And you will be real posh with your Haute Couture tattoo! Find out what the buzz is about and how to style them!

Show off your Chanel tattoo when you visit the charming Italian capital. And don’t forget to book Apartments in Rome, a very handy way to get budget accommodation.

Hello Kitty is back in fashion. But if you think about it, it has been always fashionable and it has been part of the childhood, adolescence and adult life of many women all over the world. Here are some facts about this character-icon that has been reproduced in so many notebooks, pencil holders, towels, backpacks, mugs, umbrellas, hats and so many other things. Hello Kitty was born in Tokio in the Sanrio Company in 1974.

The first object with the cute little cat was a plastic purse in 1975. From Japan, the brand was spread first to the U.S. and then to the rest of the world, becoming popular, even among the celebrities. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Mariah Carey love Hello Kitty accessories.

From the Hello Kitty character we have seen an emergence in cartoons, video games and even a musical: on February 9th, it was premiered in Milan the Hello Kitty Show. This is a musical based on a modern fairy tale in which three girls of 18 years old search their dreams. Hello Kitty bursts into their lives and… to discover the rest of the story we invite you to see this original musical. Do not miss it!

The Show is perfect to go to with the whole family. The elaborate set design and music that moves from jazz, pop and rock, have been designed to attract a diverse audience. The choreographies also go through fashionable rhythms such as hip hop and break dance. As you can see, this is a stunting show. Even the most demanding visitors will be charmed!

The show will go through several Italian cities before touring to other European countries. Have you ever been to the Eternal City? This could be an excellent occasion. Maybe this time you can convince your partner or children to go with you. From March 17th to the 21st you have the opportunity to see the Hello Kitty Show at the Teatro Olimpico in Rome. Do not worry if you do not have a shirt nor a bag with the kitten, in the Italian capital there are so many stores that you will not have any problem to find them. For an affordable, convenient accommodation, rent Apartments in Rome and purchase your tickets as soon as possible.

Will the Pope be the man of the year? At 82 years of age, Benedict sixth will sing for the album Alma Mater. Music from the Vatican is his classical album nominated to compete at the Classical Brit Awards. On the 13th of May, this contest will reveal the best classic songs from the UK for 2010. Let us pray for the Pope to win!

More than a Pope

But Benedict is more than a Pope, he is a modern Pope who appreciates classical music but also pop music: Michael Jackson’s Thriller is part of his top ten albums, along with songs from U2 and Oasis, according to L’Osservatore Romano. A time after he became Bishop of Rome, he received an mp3 with Mozart and Chopin music, and he made his own papal play list.

Perhaps it may be completely insane that the symbol of Christian faith represents England at the Classical Brit Awards, because he puts on the skin of any music star. Some people think he can’t use this medium to bring together the masses. But we are in 2010, you know…

Papal Music

But you might also love the idea of such an active Pope and the fact he loves today’s music. He has lived through many changes of our society and he can participate as well! It’s the public who may vote for the Pope, so mark this deadline: April 23rd. Maybe his classical song will be the best of the year! The prize will be given at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

When we think about the Pope, not only the religious presence comes to mind, but we think about the Vatican as well and Italy in particular. We recommend a stay in Rome to discover the stunning architecture of St. Peter’s Basilica. And if you rent Apartments in Rome, you’ll have the best accommodation.