Programmes' interruption

AmicaCarmilla is on holiday from 21 December 2005 to 9 January 2006

Happy festive Season

December Diary ~ part II

Xmas drinks: Sir Richard Steale

Our annual pre-Xmas drinks included new faces this year: Claire’s new boyfriend, Macca, a chatty and cheerful Scottish guy; Daniel, an interesting children actor from Germany but living in Austria; Zuza, my lovely friend from Bratislava; and Dan, a sweet friend of mine from Milan who I randomly met in London. For the first time, this year, the trio Richard-Chrys-Ian honoured us of their presence too.

We opted for a classic venue in Belsize Park, a pub named after the Irish writer Sir Richard Steele. It is a proper decadent chic venue decorated with loads of quirky bric a brac, old fashion portraits, antique photos and other rather kitsch objects: from deer’s heads to mummified birds, and dusty books, of course. But the people are the real attraction of this bizarre place. Proper eccentrics of all ages and social background: from celebrities to the local weirdos, this pub is always a surprising meeting experience. That night we got pleasantly surprised by a trio of old musicians who entertained us with some Beatles songs played with harmonica, violin and guitar.

Company Xmas party at The Room by the River

Before the party I invited a few people to get ready at my place and have a pre-party drink. We arrived fashionably late due to my indecision about the dress to show off—the long purple dress or the navy short dress? :o )

The party was hosted near the river in a huge marquee. It was called The Room by the River, although no view over the river was visible from there. It was a black tie event, and everybody made an effort to look very elegant. Black was the dominant colour. I personally chose the puffy navy blue chiffon dress which I accessorised it with shocking pink short leather gloves, red thick tights, a wood beaded necklace (purple and lilac with a bright red rose) I made, and high-knee black boots for a global ’60s effect. My hair was gathered in a simple pony tail. The party was undoubtedly

well organised: it started with an aperitif on a rather dull reception room and followed with a buffet dinner, offering chicken in an Italian tomato and olive sauce, meat balls of lamb (always covered in tomato) and an oven baked vegetarian dish made of vegetables and mozzarella. The side dishes were potato and veggy based. The dessert was a simple cup of chantilly mixed with fresh fruit. The décor of the main room featured, predominantly, big rounded tables and sparkling pink lights for a television studio effect. This year the venue was even bigger than the previous years, and socialise was therefore harder. I spent the first half of the night trying to recognise the presents and hardly managed to speak with most of the guests.

A quite large dance floor was set at the end of the main room, but I did not go nearer to it, repulsed by the horrible commercial music they were playing.

The hall, on the other side, was the best place to socialise and converse. It had a bar and a chocolate fountain! The theme of the party was in fact *chocolate*, and, although this fountain offered tasty milky choco and the best profiteroles, it was quite small and the only reminder of the party’s theme.

As a Cinderella, I left at midnight to catch my direct tube home. And, as a good girl, I was at home half an hour later bright and safe and sober.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

The week went on with more social engagements: on Wed I met Elisa, an interesting Italian girl I met on the plane one year ago. Funnily enough we are flying back on 8th January togther again, and it was unplanned! I spent some time on my own on Thursday night while Steve was away for his Christmas party at work. And on Friday another department Xmas party at Zebrano. Nice venue in Carnaby Street, nice food and nice to chat with the colleagues in a different environment. Second photo from the top © MonoMax Ltd

December Diary ~ Part 1

Somerset House A fun afternoon spent with Steve, Amanda, Richard, Chrys, Alberta, the doctor, Minh Ha and Jason, pretending to ice-skate in a romantic but crowded location: Somerset House. Modesty aside, I feel quite self-confident on the skates, since I have been skiing since I was five and always adored roller skating. But I have long to go before showing off some *non-standard* performances like pirouettes or jumps. I also tried to go backwards though, which was quite simple but a bit hazardous in such a busy ice ring. I was impressed by Steve’s improvements since last time (one year ago), by Chrys’ improvements in the arch of 1 hour: it was his *first time* and very frightened at first, so scared he didn’t leave the barrister for the first 20 minutes. Alberta and I helped him balance for a while and then left him alone. I observed him towards the end and was amazed to see that he managed to complete a round without touching the edges! I was also pleased by the others performance: everybody looked comfortable and agile. The evening followed with some drinks at a pub nearby, a greedy dinner at Zizzi and some indy/sixty dance at Metro Club.

Spanish Reunion Our Spanish teacher invited us to spend a Sunday afternoon at her place eating, drinking and watching a good film: Luna de Avellaneda starring my much-loved Ricardo Darin. The film chronicled the story, and history, of el club de el barrio de Avellaneda (i.e. the working men’s club of Avellaneda, a Buenos Aires quarter), and offered many hilarious and cheerful moments as the background of a nostalgic story.

The club has always played a central role in the lives and identities of Argentinian people. The local club is not (supposed to be) a political or religious circle, but simply a community where you go to meet people, converse, play and practice sport. It is also a way of keeping the youngest away from the streets and from the frustrations the country’s unemployment rate provokes. It is a proud (orguello) to be a member of it and a commitment to keep it going, since its joining fee is a mere £5 or so per month. Well, this film deals exactly with the significance the *club* has acted, and acts, and with the difficulty of keeping it alive nowdays, when times have changed (in many senses) and so the role of the club.

Ricardo Darin’s performance was sweet—to use a subjective judgment, and convincing—in more objective terms. Roman (aka R. Darin) was literally born in the club. His emotional temperament, mingled to a certain extent of passivity led him to a series of subtle failures in life. However, although remissive and tired-looking (as opposed to the more energetic paternal figure in Kamtchaka), he was never boring or annoying. On the contrary, he came across as the ultimate idealist man who has always retained his dignity... and charm.

Unity through negation

Yesterday my cousin Valentina texted me the following message(my English translation): Living is the art of mediation with the others. I need to contradict myself to reach a compromise, thus achieving conciliation. Otherwise, it’s death and apathy. Conflict is positive if obtained through mediation, which is not just yielding, but understanding the right mechanism.Without clash with the others we wouldn’t grow up. Now, this is for sure a lesson of self development which should be posted in the appropriate page of this blog. But first, I would like to reflect on a couple of points not strictly related to the content of this message but to the reason of it. Although she did not state the source at the end of it, I assumed that Hegel was the author of it (if not textually, in the substance), since she mentioned that she was revising him on Saturday in preparation to her test. It’s not the first time she sends me passages by others of her beloved philosophers as a way to share her philosophical experience with me. However, this time she pointed out very clearly how much she hated Hegel for being so bold, obscure and wordy. In fact, she also complained the difficulty she was encountering in applying Hegel’s complex system to her life. This message confirmed that eventually she did manage to find a connection between the Hegelian investigation and her concrete life, through the *dialectical* nature of our (confronting) relationship. I was glad to be passively useful to her epistemological pathway and to hear that she comprehended, and appreciated, the "dynamic quality" of our arguments. According to Hegel in fact, “Contradiction and negation have a dynamic quality that at every point in each domain of reality -- consciousness, history, philosophy, art, nature, society -- leads to further development until a rational unity is reached that preserves the contradictions as phases and sub-parts of a larger, evolutionary whole”.* Last consideration—Did she want to show me how wise she is even though she was born 10 years after me? Oh no, I will take it as a message of love; a step towards (our) unity. * © Wikipedia

Some flowers, some chocolate and a book

Today I have NOTHING to do at work and no plans for the evening. So, all the ingredients for a dull day are here, until I got two surprises: the presentation copies of the big book I have been working over the last months arrived! And shortly after also a big box containing a bunch of lilies with some lush chocolate, and a card saying: Ciao Piccolina, just a little reminder to tell you I love you and will always care for you. Let's hope the future is as beautiful as these flowers. Very romantic to this point, so romantic I was nearly doubting about the identity of the sender, until I read: But go easy on the chocs. :o) Any doubt about the written credits vanished like that. Mwha X

Memoirs of a Geisha

Director: Rob Marshall (Chicago)

Written by: Arthur Golden (Novel)

Year: 2005

Language: English

Country: Japan

Plot: In 1929 an impoverished nine-year-old named Chiyo from a fishing village is sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion district and subjected to cruel treatment from the owners and the head geisha Hatsumomo. Her stunning beauty attracts the vindictive jealousy of Hatsumomo, until she is rescued by and taken under the wing of Hatsumomo's bitter rival, Mameha. Under Mameha's mentorship, Chiyo becomes the geisha named Sayuri, trained in all the artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society. As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history.

I had the honour to watch this film in exclusive preview two days ago. I got the invitation through a friend working in the marketing and publicity department of a very well known London publishing house. The viewing was hosted in a private club in the heart of Soho. We were offered drinks in the 20s style sumptuous bar and the opportunity to chat a bit before the immersion in an atmospheric old Japan.

What to say about it? It was another beautiful film, with stunning costumes, a moving biography and a great cast. A film which has been already acclaimed in Tokyo, and which I am sure will gain the approval of the occidental audience, who will be intrigued by the secrets of becoming the most popular geisha and its significance in the pre- and post-war Japan. A western viewer will be also captured by the ambience and vibes of the 30s and 40s Japan, here reproduced so perfectly to verge on complacency.

Having seen the House of Flying Daggers just the night before, it was inevitable for me to make a comparison between the two films starring, by the way, the same main actress (Ziyi Zhang). Okay, one is set in Japan and the other in China, which means I should avoid generalisations about the two (different) cultures. Furthermore, one is directed by an established Chinese director and the other by an American (Rob Marshall) and based on a novel by another American (Arthur Golden). Incidentally, this explains perhaps why a Chinese actress (Ziyi Zhang) could play the role of a Japanese woman!

Maybe I was influenced by this detail, constantly reminded by the language (the film is in English), and could not dissolve the impression that her memoirs from childhood to maturity were chronicled with a sequential, steady, and therefore rather *conventional*, rhythm, and embellished with a certain degree of occidental soppiness and drama which was not very involving, as opposed to the slower, more sophisticated and deeply gripping style of Asian directors, such as Yimou Zhang and Kar Wai Wong. Said that, the film remains a must-see, and the book, perhaps, an even more absorbing reading.

House of Flying Daggers

Director: Yimou Zhang
Written by: Feng Li. Bin Wang, Yimou Zhang

Year: 2004

Country: China/Hong Kong

Language: Mandarin

Runtime: 119 minutes

Plot: During the reign of the Tang dynasty in China, a secret organization called "The House of the Flying Daggers" rises and opposes the government. A police officer called Leo sends officer Jin to investigate a young dancer named Mei, claiming that she has ties to the "Flying Daggers". Leo arrests Mei, only to have Jin breaking her free in a plot to gain her trust and lead the police to the new leader of the secret organization. But things are far more complicated than they seem

As recommended by Lindsey (see side bar), I have finally managed to watch this film and, like her, I was surprised to have enjoyed it that much.

I watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon some years ago and found the combats a bit too scenic, too boring and ridiculously unrealistic. At the time, I was missing the crucial sense of their mise-en-scene: the poetry with which Ang Lee was trying to recreate, through the magic world of martial arts, the mythical and classical China.

In The House of Flying Daggers the combats, filtered through the metaphor of fluid and symmetrical dancing movements, resulted more pleasant to the eye and thus more *accessible*. And then, behind the spectacular action, there was a story of loyalty and betrayal, whose gradual disclosure constantly diverted the viewer’s expectations, confounding him or her about the real feelings, priorities and drives of the characters. As Lindsey says, this film was a "disguised melodrama", concealed by the sense of duty and honour of the respective parties, preventing them from showing any sentimentalism, but not strong enough to prevent their most passionate feelings to emerge at times. In tune with the lyrical style of the film, those passions do eventually explode in a poetic and non-conventional fashion. And the result is even more disheartening than any emotional dramas a western spectator is more accustomed with.

And she (Ziyi Zhang) is wonder-full! A bold and at the same time graceful & child-like beauty.

House of Flying Daggers :: 30 Second Review

Director: Yimou Zhang
Written by: Feng Li, Bin Wang, Yimou Zhang

Year: 2004

Country: China/Hong Kong

Language: Mandarin

Runtime: 119 minutes

Plot: During the reign of the Tang dynasty in China, a secret organization called "The House of the Flying Daggers" rises and opposes the government. A police officer called Leo sends officer Jin to investigate a young dancer named Mei, claiming that she has ties to the "Flying Daggers". Leo arrests Mei, only to have Jin breaking her free in a plot to gain her trust and lead the police to the new leader of the secret organization. But things are far more complicated than they seem

As recommended by Lindsey, I have finally managed to watch this film and, like her, I was surprised to have enjoyed it that much.

I watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon some years ago and found the combats a bit too scenic, too boring and ridiculously unrealistic. At the time, I was missing the crucial sense of their mise-en-scene: the poetry with which Ang Lee was trying to recreate, through the magic world of martial arts, the mythical and classical China.

In The House of Flying Daggers the combats, filtered through the metaphor of fluid and symmetrical dancing movements, resulted more pleasant to the eye and thus more *accessible*. And then, behind the spectacular action, there was a story of loyalty and betrayal, whose gradual disclosure constantly diverted the viewer’s expectations, confounding him or her about the real feelings, priorities and drives of the characters. As Lindsey says, this film was a "disguised melodrama", concealed by the sense of duty and honour of the respective parties, preventing them from showing any sentimentalism, but not strong enough to prevent their most passionate feelings from emerging at times. In tune with the lyrical style of the film, those passions do eventually explode in a poetic and non-conventional fashion. And the result is even more disheartening than any emotional dramas a western spectator is accustomed with.

And she (Ziyi Zhang) is wonder-full! A bold and at the same time graceful & child-like beauty.

More fashion: Autumn and Xmas Look

Here is my current Autumn prêt a porter look which I will endeavour to describe without posting any pictures: I recently got a Cacharel stripy wool jumper which I love for its colour combinations (blue, green and brown), cut and warmness. I usually match it with blue large trousers bought in Berlin six years ago, and accessorise with a brown thick leather belt from Topshop and a big blue rose. My alternative evening look is: black skinny trousers, with knee-high black leather boots, white t-shirt with uncovered back, long satin black gloves and visible purple bra by Agent Provocateur (see Carrie B.’s style). I am also currently elaborating a Xmas evening look: Option 1. Long dark purple dress (similar to the one pictured below) with lime ballet shoes (see picture below) and yellow gold jewelleries. I am still thinking of the hand bag, probably in gold or in the same lime colour of the shoes. Hair: pony tail and gold hair band worn as a crown (see Sienna Miller right). Option 2. Navy blue chiffon dress, knee long, imperial style and with puffy skirt, lived up by titian red tights, leopard ballet pumps (with red trimmings), shocking pink leather gloves and pink ribbon wrapped just underneath the chest. Hair: Alice band and 60s volume. Make up: strong red lipstick and short and squared fire red nails. Real photos available after Xmas.