Photo by Luigi Ghirri

- Strada sull'argine

The ideal place for me is the one in which it is most natural to live as a foreigner (Italo Calvino).

Personal links

Place where I live (and that I love)

Rome

Our kids, Lola and Luca

lola lola2

luca luca2

lola & luca lola & luca2

My favourite holiday places in Italy

Seaside: Camogli (GE)

Mountains: Anterselva (BZ)

European cities where I lived for a long period

Freiburg im Breisgau

Bologna

European cities where I stayed for some time

Berlin

American cities where I lived for some time

Atlanta, GA

Chicago, IL

Madison, WI

Some of my favourite contemporary directors / movies

Robert Altman: see the movie America oggi (short cuts)

Peter Greenway: see the movie The pillow book

Nanni Moretti: see the movie Caro Diario

Wim Wenders: see the movie Der Himmel über Berlin

Quentin Tarantino: see the movie KillBill2

See the movie Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind by Charlie Kaufman

My favourite Italian contemporary writers

Italo Calvino: quotations da Le citta’ invisibili (in italiano)

Gianni Celati: see quotations from Avventure in Africa and from Il profilo delle nuvole and from Verso la foce(in italiano)

Hobbies

Reading

Singing (gospel choir)

Nordic Sky (but also alpine sky)

Swimming

Camping

Cinema

Just for laughing (Limericks of Edward Lear)

There was an old lady of Prague, C’era una vecchia d’Alpago

Whose language was horribly vague; Dal linguaggio orribilmente vago;

When they said ‘Are these caps?’ Chiedevano: ‘Son cuffie queste qua?’

She answered: ‘Perhaps!’ Rispondeva: ‘E chi lo sa?’

That oracular lady of Prague. Quell’oracolare vecchia d’Alpago.

There was an Old Lady of France, C’era una vecchia di Costanza

Who taught little Duckings to dance; Che addestrava anatrotti alla danza;

When she said, ‘Tick-a-tack!’ Quando diceva: ‘Lallerala’!’

They only said, ‘Quack!’ Quelli non rispondevano che: ‘Qua!’

Which grieved that Old Lady of France. Rattristando quella vecchia di Costanza.

There was an old man of Peru C’era un vecchio d’Oltremare

Who never knew what he should do; Che non sapeva mai cosa fare;

So he tore off his hair, Si strappava percio’ i capelli a ciuffi

And behaved like a bear, E teneva un contegno dei piu’ buffi,

That intrinsic Old Man of Peru. Quell’intrinseco vecchio d’Oltremare.

There was a young lady of Lucca, C’era una signorina di Licata

Whose lovers completely forsook her; Da tutti i suoi amanti abbandonata;

She ran up a tree, S’arrampico’ in cima a un fico

And said: ‘Fiddle-de-dee!’ E disse: ‘Pirin pirimpico!’

Which embarassed the people of Lucca. Con grande impaccio di tutta Licata.

There was an Old Person of Spain, C’era un vecchio di Sant’Elpidio

Who hated all trouble and pain; Che odiava ogni pena o fastidio;

So he sat on a chair, Per scansare ogni sorte contraria

With his feet in the air, Sedeva quindi con le gambe all’aria,

That umbrageous Old Person of Spain. Quell’Ombroso vecchio di Sant’Elpidio.

There was a young lady of Firle, C’era una signorina di Licarsi

Whose Hair was addicted to curl; La cui chioma tendeva ad arricciarsi;

It curled up a Tree, S’arriccio’ su pei rami d’un fico

And all over the Sea, E per tutto l’oceano infinito,

That expansive Young Lady of Firle. Quell’invadente signorina di Licarsi.

There was an Old Person of Fife, C’era un vecchio sannita

Who was greatly disgusted with life; Disgustato dalla vita;

They sang him a ballad, Gli cantarono una ballata,

And fed him on Salad, Lo cibarono d’insalata,

Which cured that Old Person of Fife. E guarirono quel vecchio sannita.