Autumn 2004
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We hope everyone had a wonderful summer and that those of you who traveled to Italy had a great time. We just got back ourselves as we had a wedding to attend in Deruta (more on that later) and had a very good time. We spent 10 days in my hometown of Ivrea, then two days in Gubbio and finally Deruta for the wedding. If you were in the shop during our absence you met Lynda Vaccaro who will be helping us out from time to time. Lynda is a self-confirmed majolicaholic and seemed to enjoy her first solo experience. As we come upon our fourth year anniversary we want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued support. The Retail business is not always easy but we are very lucky to have great customers who are always a pleasure to deal with. As we normally try to do, we scouted out a few new places in Piemonte which you may find interesting and got some information on purchasing tickets for the 2006 Olympics in Torino. Anyway, we hope this information is useful and as always if you are planning a trip and have questions give us a call. Hope you enjoy. Laura and Bill |
Congratulations Michela Patacca and Luca Cuppoloni We had the privilege of attending the recent wedding of Michela Patacca who is the daughter of Carlo Patacca owner of Fratelli Mari in Deruta. Some of you may have met Michela on one of her trips to Red Bank and those of you who attended the painting demonstration in 2002 met both Carlo and Michela. We were very anxious to attend to see what an Italian wedding is really like. Needless to say it was an experience we won’t soon forget. We know a lot of you wanted to hear about it so here are the highlights. Keep in mind this was in Umbria so some of the traditions may be different than other regions. The events started the night before the wedding with the brides’ “Serenata”. |
At approximately 11:30 p.m. the groom and his friends meet in the town square along with any one else who cares to attend and then proceed to the brides house where they serenaded her. By the way the bride expects the serenade and would be disappointed if the groom did not do it. The wedding day began with the family and close friends meeting at the parents’ house at 10:30 a.m. to greet the bride. Light refreshments are served and the wedding gifts received to this point are on display.
When the bride departs for the church she is greeted by the neighbors and those going to the church receive a white bow for their car and travel as a convoy escorting the brides car. The ceremony was in nearby Casalina at the Santuario Madonna dei Bagni (see next article). As a side note for you fathers out there who may be dreading that long walk down the aisle. The Santuario is on a hill and the bride arrives at the bottom of a flight of about 20 steps. Imagine keeping the bride steady for that climb, Carlo did fine though and everyone including the groom was waiting at the top to greet the bride. |
Gilardini Ceramica Italiana Newsletter
Autumn 2004
The ceremony was the standard Roman Catholic wedding with the only differences being that after the vows the priest laid his hands on the couple and gave them a special blessing. Also, all of the official documents are signed as part of the ceremony so it ends up being a little longer than here.
At the end of the ceremony the children are given rose petals to throw as the couple walk down the aisle and then outside everyone threw rice.
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We then went to the Tre Vaselle in Torgiano for what we thought was going to be a short lunch. It turned out to be a full reception for about 100 people beginning with cocktails on the patio and lasting 5 ½ hours. This small lunch had seven courses accompanied by some wonderful Lungarotti wine. You can imagine how we felt at 6:30 when we knew we had yet another reception to attend at 8:00.
Some customs we noted are that the bride and groom sit alone at their own table at the head of the room. There is no throwing of the bouquet or the garter belt, instead the bride and groom together open the first bottle of champagne and whoever catches the cork is the lucky one destined for the altar. After the wedding cake the newlyweds distribute the bomboniere (wedding favor) to each couple. As things were winding down Michela’s brother Giacomo shared some of the brotherly traditions he and brother Tomasso had in store for the bride and groom. The first being to cover the bed sheets with salt, the second is to set alarm clocks for various times throughout the night and third to hide the luggage to give them something to keep them busy |
during the night. We never did hear which one they used but he sounded as if the third one might be it. After a quick shower and change into evening attire we where on our way to Castello di Rosciano located in the hills between Torgiano and Bettona for the evening reception. The evening began in the castle courtyard with the owner dressed in medieval costume greeting the guests and providing everyone with an aperitivo prior to inviting us into the castle. Because of the number of guests (over 300) we filled all of the dining rooms with some overflow at outside tables. We then began an Italian style multi- course buffet which ended with a coffee bar outside under the stars. At 11:00 p.m. the music began and at 11:45 those with young children and those of us who can’t party anymore left for the hotel. The next day Michela and Luca were off to the Maldives and we spent the day recuperating in Assisi.
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Gilardini Ceramica Italiana Newsletter
Autumn 2004
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Santuario Madonna dei Bagni Located in Casalina off of Route 45 this church is notable for it’s walls, which are covered, with votive ceramic tiles offered by believers from the 17th century until the present.
As the legend goes in 1657 a local merchant Christofano di Francesco, who had a very sick wife, was on his way to the market in Deruta and came upon a piece of ceramic cup with the image of the Madonna painted inside. He decided to nail the image to the tree and in exchange for the favor asked the Madonna to cure his wife. The next day when Christofano returned home he found his wife out of bed and in perfect health. Word spread of the miracle cure and the merchant thanked the Madonna della Quercia (Madonna of the Oak tree) by commissioning a small ceramic plaque depicting his wife’s recovery. The tile was then tacked to the oak tree and was soon joined by others in thanksgiving for prayers being answered. In 1687 the church was built which now contains more than 600 ceramic plaques. This tradition has continued into modern times. |
For example after the birth of their three healthy children Carlo and Patrizia Patacca dedicated a plaque in thanksgiving. Today the walls are almost entirely covered by the plaques, which present a unique window on the history of the area. As for the tree, well the branch with the ceramic shard is now part of the main altar in the Santuario. Torino 2006 Olympic Update
Torino 2006 Mascots Neve & Gliz
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Off the beaten path in Piemonte We took a number of day trips and came across several interesting out of the way Bed & Breakfasts, which may be of interest for a future trip. While both properties are located in small villages they are relatively close to both Turin and Milan. The first is Castello di Strambino located in the village of Strambino which is northeast of Torino. The current owners have done a wonderful job of renovating the castle. We toured the facilities which include a beautiful swimming pool and tennis courts. Phone 011 39 0125 637500.
Nearby in the village of Borgomasino is Castello di Borgomasino which dates to the 11th century with various additions and renovations completed over the years. Breakfast is served in the antique kitchen of the castle which is heated by the fireplace and wood-fed ovens. www.castellodiborgomasino.it. |
