ABOUT DA VINCI CAPERS
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Our MissionTo help you acquire a new sense of discovery and appreciation of the arts – to ignite old passions and to unveil new talents.
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Press RoomHigh Design In Italy - Expert Guide ___________________________ Artistic License ___________________________ Da Vinci Capers: a travel adventure in art and dining ___________________________ Living Like da Vinci ___________________________ Further Food and Wine Journeys _________________________ Da Vinci Capers Connects Travelers with Passions itravel magazine • www.itravelmag.com Forget the frenetic search for Da Vinci's Code. Instead, travelers can experience in depth Tuscany's culinary heritage, the fine arts and passion for language through a week long immersion adventure, Da Vinci Capers - A Personal Renaissance Journey. Each participant can discover their own code to enlightenment
through guided immersion in the disciplines mastered by Leonardo
da Vinci. They include:
Click here to read
whole article. ___________________________ A 'Da Vinci Code' tour sampler The Oregonian, Sunday, May 14, 2006 Read
whole article – Da Vinci Capers in fifth paragraph from
top. ___________________________ Nottonson: Profit or Passion Q: "What makes this trip different than just visiting Europe?" A: "Well, many people want to see Europe and they will often travel to many cities in as many days. It's really easier to buy a package of postcards because they don't ever have the chance to examine the culture, to get a feeling about the people. The Da Vinci Capers is a teaching/learning experience. It's partly about the culture and the people but it's even more about you. And that's what makes it fascinating." ___________________________ Starters – Traveling with Taste See our mention in the March
2005 issue of Bon Appetit! ___________________________ Italian Spirit Inspires Tours to Land of Da Vinci . ___________________________ Travel With the Experts: by Norm Coleman
Norm: Barbara, could you tell our readers something about yourself, what is Da Vinci Capers and how did you get interested in starting tours of this nature? Barbara: I grew up in a large Italian family outside of Baltimore. My grandparents emigrated from Rome through Ellis Island in the early 1900's. We lived on what seemed to be acres. Nothing held back my imagination. Our yard had a jungle, a desert, an orchard and a performance hall (the chicken coop). Sunday pasta was a ritual (always made by my father with his secret ingredients one pork chop and a pinch of sugar! Click here for recipe) and listened to Mario Lanza. (click here to read rest of interview) . |
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Insegnanti (Teachers)
Barbara Petrarca Hardesty, Creator of Da
Vinci Capers Barbara holds a B.A. in Humanities with an Italian minor from the University of Colorado. She continues the family legacy as a sculptress of Italianate architectural elements in terra cotta. With a business background, and having managed a Tuscan cooking school, Barbara has just the right ingredients for the recipe of Da Vinci Capers! Mike Hardesty, Ph.D., Scientist
An expert in applying optical methods to probe the atmosphere, Mike has authored more than 100 scientific articles and has lectured in Europe, Asia, and Australia. For Da Vinci Capers, he serves as the scientist en residence for exploring Leonardo’s scientific accomplishments and ideas. Mike is legendary among American travelers for having driven Barbara’s Uncle Pino’s taxicab around Rome for a full afternoon and survived. An Anglo turned Italiophile, he enthusiastically schedules time off from his research to co-host Da Vinci Capers. Joan Reifsnyder, Leonardo da Vinci Aficionado
An American living in Florence for the past 20 years, Joan knows how to communicate with people living on both sides of the Atlantic. She has a broad range of experiences from international banking and business, to lecturing on artists and their methods and materials. Joan has written several published articles and translated many books primarily in art history, on the Tuscan gardens, Perugino, Botticelli, culinary arts, and her love – art conservation and preservation. A wealth of information, Joan spins Leonardo’s tale in
true Italian flamboyance in a way we will never forget! Stefania Brandinelli
Stefania Brandinelli has studied art for twenty years in Italy and the United States. In Bologna she studied painting and sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts, where she also received a B.A. in Art History from the University of Bologna.
Stefania’s practical experience in both painting and sculpture includes studying with many masters including Richard Pousette-Dart for abstract, Henry Hensche for Impressionistic, Cedric and Joanette Egeli for portrait painting, and sculpture with Nathaniel Kaz. Stefania has held over 40 exhibitions in Germany, Belgium, United States and throughout Italy, and has won several commissions from a sculpted portrait of Catherine of Braganza (Queen of England, XVII c), eight painted panels for the San Giuseppe church in Genova, to a relief and mosaic “Mariner” for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in the U.S. Living in Pietrasanta, Stefania is an artist and a teacher.
Julio Monteiro Martins, Creative Writer Catalyst Julio was born in Rio de Janeiro in the mid 1950’s. A lawyer by degree and fluent in five languages, Julio is a defender of human rights and one of the co-founders of the Brazilian Green Party and the ecologist movement "Os Verdes." In 1979, Julio received an "Honorary Fellow in Writing" award from the University of Iowa. In the following two years, he taught Creative Writing and Third World Politics at Goddard College in Vermont. Julio is a novelist, and a fiction writer who uses the sources of the unconscious and personal history and History as the material for his creations. He is the founder of the creative writing school "Scuola Sagarana" in Lucca, Italy. Julio has written and published 16 books, numerous articles, short stories, poems, essays, and critical essays in four countries, several short plays and two films. In addition to his writing, for the last six years, he has been teaching Literary Translations, and Brazilian Literature at the University of Pisa – one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in all of Europe. He believes that writing from your personal history can change your life. And, he gives us "un gusto" – a taste – of what that means.
Chef Luca Treu, Professional Chef at Villa Michaela and Instructor Chef Luca Treu was born in Italy and in 1982, studied in Florence at a school for cooking and the hospitality industry. Inspired by his passion for cooking, Chef Luca was compelled to learn and understand in more depth the nature of food – down to the elements of every ingredient, the vital energy and its curative and preventive values, and how it can profoundly change our lives. So, to fully comprehend this and to learn other cuisines, Luca lived and studied in India for ten years. We are the fortunate ones since he knows the tastes and value of each ingredient for each dish he prepares. He passes some of this knowledge onto us during our cooking lesson, and during the "side-stirs" in his beautiful country kitchen! Bravo! We are also fortunate to have Giuseppe Massimini to assist during our cooking lesson.
Michela Panigada, Michela is a native Lucchese. Everyone knows Michela! And, Michela knows everyone! For over two decades, Michela has organized a variety of cultural, fashion, and art programs (or "Spettacoli" as the Italians call them) throughout the region. Now, we are fortunate to have her managing Villa Michaela. Michela brings the true Italian spirit into our everyday life, combined with an efficiency to help make our week perfetto! Brava!! Keara McMartin, A Founding Member of Fondazione Sem The Foundation was established in March 2003, and derives its name and founding principles from the cultural legacy of Sem Ghelardini; who in his time founded and directed Studio SEM, one of the most renowned studios for stone sculpture in the world. The studio attained a name of great international notoriety particularly for monumental works by such celebrated artists as Henry Moore, Alicia Penalba, Juan Miro` and many others.
Keara’s passion for sculpture brought her into close association with Sem’s studio in 1983 and led her to become his right hand over the course of a decade and since 1995, Director of Studio Sem. "The establishment of the Foundation is a much needed initiative as support for both young artists and the unique artisans of Pietrasanta to insure the continuation, growth and protection of a centuries old artistic collaboration. What Sem began will now continue to grow and evolve in support of the creative mind."
Bartolo Giusto, Private Guide to Pompeii
After completing Nautical College and years abroad traveling and studying languages, Bartolo returned to his home in Sorrento, where he was born and raised. Naples and the Campania region is where he finds his passion in work and life. He has worked as a professional tour guide for the last 16 years, and enjoys learning more about the history of this amazing part of the world each day, and sharing his passion and knowledge with travelers.
Massimo Bassano
Milan-based Massimo Bassano has worked as a freelance photojournalist since 1990. His photographs grace the pages of many international magazines including National Geographic Traveler, Runner's World and GEO. Massimo works along side with the greats in photography – Bob Sacha, Bob Krist and Albert Allard to name just a few. His distinctive style – a personal approach to become part of the scene rather than looking through the lens – has enabled him to capture incredible photos. In Calabria, Italy, Massimo was the first photographer to be granted permission to live for three months amongst the Chartusians monks. His immersion to document the 900 year old brotherhood resulted in the award-winning book, The Color of Silence.
In Africa, through his social consciousness, Massimo photographed war and famine and recorded the everyday lives of the people in the Congo. These pictures were chosen by Human Rights Watch for a celebrated show in Toronto, Canada.
Massimo's curiosity, love for people and for the sea has taken him around the world. He reached Australia by sailing in the Olympics in 1988 (Corea) and winning five world championships! For Da Vinci Capers in Ravello, we travel by boat (not quite so far or fast!) on the Amalfi coast to Positano for our photographic adventure. We learn Leonardo da Vinci's Sapre Vedere – knowing how to see – a new way of thinking, feeling, looking and interacting to capture that exceptional photograph we all desire.
LinksDream of Italy Study photography on the Amalfi Coast at the Scuola di Fotografia DaVinci Institute Michael W. Domoretsky, founder of The Da Vinci Project Michael J. Gelb, Creator of "Creativity and Innovation Certification Program."
In Beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 24-28, 2008
Villa Boccella was built in 1729 as a beautiful country home for rest and repose. Fully renovated, it is surrounded by its own olives groves and vineyards. Located near Lucca in Tuscany. For more information: www.villaboccella.com Valter Roman, The Tuscan Chef: www.thetuscanchef.com ____________________________ Many thanks to our wonderful photographers, who so generously contributed their images to this website: Tina Bukala, Sam Burton, Carolyn Keyes Carstens, Maura Dowling, Laurie Fisher, Debra McClenahan, Brooke McCrory, Charron McFadden, Debs Szymkowiak, Jody Talbot, and Pam Ward.
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Located
in a 16th century palazzo in the dramatic seaside town
of Sorrento,
