CCR Book Club - April 24, 2024

"Black Water Lilies" by Michel Bussi ("Nymphéas noirs" in French) is the book pick for the month of April. One reviewer said "this very stylish crime novel" celebrates "sensuous and cerebral pleasures to get down and dirty with crime scene decomposition and suchlike. The Frenchman writes with chutzpah and all the more so as the audacious story develops."

When: Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Time: 5 p.m.
Where: Private residence of CCR member (Quartiere Flaminio); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 
Potluck: Please let Lucy know what you'll be bringing.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy.

Multi-Sensory Aperitivo - April 18, 2024

Join us in this multi-sensory space where gastronomy blends with art and culture. Both an exhibition space and a fun boutique are part of this venue. An aperitif awaits you with a dedicated menu, punctuated by the sound of bells from an adjacent church. Even Quasimodo would enjoy it!

On Thursdays there's live music starting at 9:30, so you could make an evening of it if you decide to stay on.

When: Thursday, Apr. 18, 2024

Time:  6-8 p.m.

Where: Caffè Delle Esposizioni, Via Nazionale 194A

Cost: No host, i.e. each person pays for whatever they order, including water, bread, etc. For example, a cocktail or glass of wine with a charcuterie board or a vegetarian mix is €15.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by noon on Apr. 16th to secure a spot at our table.

CCR Walks: Courtesans of Rome - April 14, 2024

Let us follow their footsteps over Rome’s cobblestones as they flick their silky fans at us. Fiammetta, Matrema-non-vole and Imperia are just a few of the most famous of Rome's cortigiane oneste, the upper class courtesans who were treated as royalty by their admirers and would-be lovers in the 15th and early 16th centuries. Their fantastical gowns, sumptuous jewels and luxurious apparel, outrageous banquets and intricate etiquette made their way into ballads, literary works and music -- often written by these very same educated, sophisticated women. Their colourful world all but disappeared with the Sack of Rome in 1527 and the strictures of the Counter-Reformation, but  their memory lives on in the streets, and we will explore it.

When: Sunday, April 14, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. walk starts; optional: meet at 9:30 for coffee or 9:45 for briefing.

Meeting Place: registered participants will be informed of the exact spot by email.

Cost: €10 for CCR members, €15 for non-members. You are financially responsible for your booking.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Peter before 5 p.m. April 11.

Charity Fundraiser: Auction and Reception - May 18, 2024

We're going to top off our 2023-2024 club season with a fun fundraising event, with all proceeds going to CCR's charity this season, Differenza Donna! Since 1989 this registered Italian non-profit organization has been helping women affected by violence through information campaigns, interventions, shelters and a dedicated help line, along with medical, psychological and social support.

The modest participation fee will cover basic costs, including refreshments, but we really hope many of you will also get involved with our silent auction to raise funds. Let us know by April 23rd if you also have an appropriate item to be auctioned in a very fun way. Have you received a gorgeous gift that just doesn't fit your home décor? Have fine duplicate items at home? Switched from gold to silver jewellery? Instead of re-gifting or having it take up precious space, let it become someone else's treasure!

If you don't have any items or services to contribute, you can still help this worthy cause by bidding on a special item to take home.

Do you have a small business with a product or service to donate to our silent auction? Join others who have already donated items like a winery excursion, restaurant meals and beauty treatments. You'll contribute to a great cause and have an excellent opportunity for promotion with a friendly, interested crowd.

Thank you to our club sponsor Air Canada Italy for their invaluable contribution to this charity event.

When: Saturday, May 18, 2024

Where: CCR members' private residence, Corso Trieste area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.

Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: CCR members €10, guests €15, which includes aperitivo foods, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. We also welcome donations for the auction but let us know by April 23rd. All proceeds will go to this year's charity, Differenza Donna.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com by 14 May, 2024, or until full. Advance payment is required. When booking, please let us know whether or not you'll be donating an item for the silent auction so we can prepare a descriptive card and bidding sheet.

More information on our charity, Differenza Donna: see here.

CCR Wine Tasting: Wines from Lombardy - March 9, 2024

Everyone knows the wines of Veneto and Piedmont. But nestled in between is Lombardy, a region largely known for Franciacorta but also rich in a wide range of wine styles which we will discover together.

Where: Residence of CCR members (Monteverde Vecchio area), exact details will be sent to registered participants.

When: Saturday, March 9, 2024

Time: 7 p.m. 

Cost: €35 for members (€40 for non-members); advance payment required to confirm your place. A light dinner will follow the wine tasting.

RSVP to Linda; payment by Monday, March 4th at canadarome@gmail.com. Please note that you are financially responsible for your reservation.

 

We are pleased to have Marco Lori, Italian sommelier and wine master, lead this CCR wine tasting. Marco’s sommelier training in 1995 sparked his passion for wine and set in motion years of study. In 2014 he earned “Italian Sommelier Executive Wine Master” status, recognized by the Worldwide Sommelier Association. He is the founder of “Off the Vine,” a gastro-tourism venture in Italy.

CCR Book Club - March 24, 2024

A novel about a photographer killed during the 1980s civil war in Sri Lanka who finds himself in a surprising Buddhist afterlife, "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida" by Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize in 2022. The Guardian review praised the "mordant wit and surrealism" of the CCR Book Club's pick for March.

When: Sunday, Mar. 24th, 2024

Time: 1 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 

Potluck: Please let Lucy know what you'll be bringing.

Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy.