Ok, a dessert sampler of three ice creams could make it nicer.

But I digress…

Here’s some of my favorite in Italy during the magnificent month of May, 2012.

• May 19:  Get ready to hit the museums!  It’s the European Night of the Museum and Italy is on board for the allure of evening openings. Find what’s going on in your area at www.lanottedeimusei.it.
• May 20: The Taste of Milano takes place in the huge outdoor stadium (guess there are times when soccer doesn’t trump all!) Food, food and drink, workshops and more food.  Tickets available online and I’d get mine before I hit the stadium lines.
• May 13 to June 3: Gorizia is not a typical tourist destination for Americans, but the Hapsburgs called it “Adriatic Nice.”  The exhibit “The Threads of Time” match contemporary art with Italy’s historic lace tradition.  I’ve seen some of the works in other exhibits… very cool, and Gorizia’s waterfront is alive and lovely.
• May 23 – 27: Florence’s Gelato (Ice Cream) Festival  Need I say more?
• Until June 10:  After you lick the ice cream from your hands, walk over to the Palazzo Pitti to see the exhibit “The Professor’s Outrageous Ties”.  There’s so much art at Palazzo Pitti that your head can ache after a bit.  Don’t worry… head out to the Boboli Gardens and pull out your knitting until you relax!
• May 26- 27:  Cantine Aperte  Vineyards all around Italy open their doors so you can “see what you drink.”  This year’s theme  involves young people and families in wine culture (you have to smile when you think how preposterous this angle might seem in North America, but alas, these are cultural differences.  I think the wineries are worried about all of the artisan beers being produced in Italy these days).  No matter what your age, it’s an excellent chance to taste a variety of wines and fill your wine cellar (hmm, does anyone need a Wine Hug for the road?).

After all of these events, I strongly encourage you to find a great trattoria or agriturismo where you should definitely enjoy a proper meal!

Enjoy!

1. Brenda Dayne at Webs on May 7…. Ok, you may have missed it, but I shuffled life to not miss her memory bag event. It was lovely to spend time with longtime Tactile Traveler Chris and then find so many Common Cod Fiber Guild folks sitting in the audience.  Brenda’s memory lecture was almost like a podcast minus the music.  We clearly witnessed the developing the DNA of a nascent bud. She’s headed west and I ‘m looking forward to see how this will grow.
2. Clara Parkes in Cambridge on May 11.  The lovely soul the of Knitter’s Review is speaking at the Common Cod Fiber Guild at 7pm.  As always, guests are welcome at Guild meetings for a $5 admission fee.  Check the Guild’s web site  for more details.
   

   I fell in love with this honey colored fleece at the NH Sheep and Wool

3. New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival on May 12 and 13.  Can’t say enough good things about this great small Festival. They are in a new location this year and closer to Boston, so do pay attention to directions to the Deerfield Fairgrounds.
4. New England Quilt Museum waives entrance for Mothers on May 13 from noon to 4.  Their current exhibit celebrates the Fenway Park Centennial, so it’s going to be an exhibit that easily appeals to the whole family.  Catch it on the way home from New Hampshire Sheep and Wool???  Or save it for a rainy day and pay the very appreciated entrance fee.  The exhibit is on display until after Independence Day.
5. Nancy Bush is in the Boston area from May 15 to 19, giving lectures and teaching a wide variety of classes.  More details on Nancy’s web site
6. The MFA on May 18 is hosting a symposium on “The Craft and Art of Embroidery in Colonial Boston.”  With the American Wing, the MFA is finally able to show more of its extensive embroidery collection.  Learn more here.
7. Quilters Connection Annual Show on June 1 and 2.  This is always a great way to begin a weekend and kick off June!

By the end of May, the leaves will rustle together and we’ll enjoy their shady canopy while recovering from these lovely merry meandering. Whether you’re in town for a graduation, or this is home base, New England is definitely a great place to be a textilphiliac!

Ok, April isn't this green, but Surekat on Flickr snapped the basic I89 view

Last Friday was an oddly warm and sunny April day… perfect for detour along the I89 corridor between Concord, NH and White River Junction.  It’s easy to engage cruise control, enjoy the spotty cellular coverage and roll by the White Mountain scenery.  Today was different. Today, no one would complain if I deviated from the freeway.  Today I was driving with the latest Bridgebuilders EP with ample time to reach my destination.  It was easy to meander off exit 5 and head toward Henniker.

I confess, this was not idle exploration.  Over the winter, our family had been in this part of the Contoocook River Valley looking for snow.  I’d seen the sign for “The Fiber Studio” just before the exit to Henniker.

Lack of enthusiasm is a gentle description of my family’s response to my “Oh, look! The Fiber Studio exit in one quarter mile.”

They wanted to put skis and snowshoes in action, not pace around another yarn shop.  Time for unfettered browsing had finally arrived.

Take that right turn just before the Henniker exit and have confidence:  The Fiber Studio is just over the hill.

Housed in a converted barn, this oasis has one stop shopping and friendly service for those who want to dip into spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, felting, punch needle and even beading!  The spacious upper floor has big windows, grand seating and chairs, and a variety of fibers.  I’m lucky enough to have enough yarn to keep me going for a year or so, (really, I think it’s only a year or so), but I’m always on the look out for different notions and books.

Knitting Portuguese Style by Andrea Wong was a welcome find.  I’d heard that this technique was helpful for those who have tension issues in their ribbing.  Why not?  She also encourages Portuguese style for those with fair isle tension issues.  Sounds like a great tool for the knitting bag of tricks.  In addition, the patterns in her book were based on Portuguese traditional knitting.

Buttons made in Henniker from wood and deer horns; I’d never seen a yarn store with so many different wood varieties.  And the buttons are made and sourced from local trees: apple, birch, maple…  Buttons are beautiful displayed on my studio bulletin board, and eventually they do find themselves in a project (Ok, some of the really cool buttons from the Barcelona Picasso Museum in 1997 haven’t been used yet, but…).

Fiber fumes filling my head, I returned to the car and wandered along the Contoocook River near the Hopkinton Dam, and passed the Rowley Bridge.  Then it was back to the cruise control and I89.

So I’m happy to report that while exploring Boston’s North Shore, there’s a small but very enjoyable quilt exhibit on the gorgeous Endicott College campus.  Curated by the American Folk Art Museum, it features the Kaleidoscope Quilts of Paula Nadelstern, but ties with the traditional roots of the quilt tradition.

It’s a vibrant space at the College’s Center for the Performing Arts.  If you’re toodling around the North Shore with non-Texilphiliacs, it is a stop that works!  They enjoy the exhibit, too.

It was great to bring together people from past Tactile Travel tours and other parts of my Boston life.  What a treat to surround myself with such a dynamic crowd!  From knitwear design, art history, long arm quilting, to antique furniture, travel writing and nonprofit development,  this group has interests all over the map.

Of course, for this group, the tour focus was on textiles.  I carefully planned our stops in the Palace,  but soon found myself in “chatter flow.” It was easy to take an observation or question and bridge to a related topic.  I like to look at the Gardner Museum as an installation piece.  It’s known for its Italian Renaissance paintings collection, the Egyptian, Greek and Roman artifacts, the architectural detail, the letter, book and furniture collections.  Mrs. Gardner curated these collections, creating her own artist’s statement.  While the goal oriented art tourist may head straight to the Raphael or Titans, each gallery is an artist’s expression.  And textiles support the overall room aesthetic.

The Gardners travelled around the world, bringing home textiles as souvenirs that decorated their Beacon Street home, before the museum was built.  During the 1890′s, Mrs. Gardner purchased many antique textiles from dealers as well.  We talked about the conservation issues that face the textile collection and the Museum’s curatorial strategies.

On both days, the lace collection intrigued several in the group.  Of course, there are lace curtains in the Veronese room and along the stairwell.  But one corner of the Veronese room is dedicated to portion of her lace collection.  We talked about the essence of lace and the many ways we can create it.

When you visit the new exhibit space in the extension, take time to open the drawers in the anteroom.  Inside you’ll find two samples from her collection which were inspiration for the pencil sketch of a previous Artist-in-Residence (Oh, dear, I’ve forgotten his name). Mrs. Gardner’s father began his career as a textile merchant, and her grandmother was an avid embroiderer.

It didn’t take long for 90 minutes to pass.

For me, gratitude was the lasting impression.  I’ve been lucky to meet many great people in the Boston area.  They enrich my life.

I think my Tactile Travel clients are special people.  They appreciate hand made and value the dedication required to craft textiles, food, wine… really, the value of culture.  Many thanks to the people who have joined Tactile Travel tours.  It’s been a pleasure to share adventures with you in New England and Italy.

My sister and I had been eating and drinking our way through Midtown when we came to the understated entrance.  Long pause, deep breath: my cherished brand image may soon be crushed. It would be small, too upscale and crowded. Look at the hordes of people streaming out the doors.

I brightened as I saw the long coffee bar that could have been in any posh Milan neighborhood.  This didn’t look like the oodles of Starbucks that now dot every Manhattan corner.

A few steps later, bright lights surrounded a Unicredit bank machine.  Wow, what attention to detail!  I just had to snap a picture.   It turned out horribly, but still left me feeling nostalgic for my Italian bank card.

Turn around and there were shelves of Italian chocolate, and packaged cookies.  There were several Mulino Bianco varieties, which are made by Barilla and not exactly a small producer. Narrow aisles meant hurried souls jostled past people studying packages and blurting, “look at this!” when they discovered a familiar food.

Next came the sandwich bar and the pastry case. After breakfast, cappuccino, and hot chocolate, eating was not nearly enticing as shopping for food, so we passed through this quickly.  I quickly checked in on Yelp, which slowly has become my favorite food app on my phone.  All of the reviews were about eating in the various restaurants and deli bars.  Indeed, we were at the crossroads…. my sister said, “Oh” once again.  Now you could see just how big the space was!

Immediate detour for fresh mozzarella, made on site.  We resisted the temptation to open it immediately! Head over to the tableware, so I could let GiardinidiSole know what Eataly carried. And then, great elation; the vegetables!

AND WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR, BUT RADICCHIO DI CASTELFRANCO!  Jo recently posted a wonderful salad featuring this beautiful vegetable.  She confirmed that any ol’ radicchio would work, but the color of this one was beautiful.  I didn’t buy it (how would it travel in my purse, poked by double pointed needles), but I resolved to look for the seeds domestically (any hints, anyone?).

Next was the book section… perhaps the true key to what makes the New York Eataly tick. There weren’t any books from the Slow Food Editore.  There were loads of books by Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich, who finance the New York branch.  The pasta aisles promoted their sauces and other food products.  Guess it all makes sense.

Rolling over to the pasta counter, we watched gnocchi rolled expertly.

At this point, both of us could resist no more. We bought pasta as if we were running home to make lunch now! Delicious. Fresh pasta is easy to make, but does entail time. It’s always nice to have a good source (my local favorite is Maria’s Gourmet Pasta) but after so much goodness, we both had to take some home.

The bread counter catered to both customers and photographers. After wandering around the olive oil aisle, I was a bit overwhelmed.

We checked out, and I felt relieved. What a delightful place to peruse and savor some of Italy’s culinary heritage, and see how these things could be made/grown in the US. Adding the Batali and Bastianich products made it very American, albeit not in a “Slow Food” tradition.

It’s wonderful. It’s good food. It’s huge. It’s not Torino, but don’t be scared.

The 2007 Cast On Together tour with Brenda Dayne spent a rainy day in a grand cafe of Torino drinking bicerin, sipping espresso and prosecco with Cristiana, Laura and Italian/European knitters.  We weren’t hungry and we were starved.  Considering the wonderful knitting mojo, shopping frenzy, caffeine and sugar levels, this made perfect sense.

Our charming, mild mannered and impeccably dressed chauffeur asked me if I’d been to Eataly .  It had opened earlier in the year, and I was curious.  Eataly supported the Slow Food mission, promoting cultural gastronomic traditions of quality, fair trade food.  The Slow Food’s international home is less than 20 miles south of Turin (and our destination for the night).  Those who travel Italy know that it’s not always easy to find one Italian region’s specialty in a different one (bresaola in Sicily, anyone?).   Eataly had 11,000 square meters (roughly 30,000 square feet) of renovated factory to highlight Italian regional food specialties.

“No, not yet, how about you?”  I thought this was just a conversation starter.

“I’ve been dying to go there,” he exclaimed.  How could one resist such honest enthusiasm?  I don’t normally spring new destinations on groups, but we were a comfy cohesion of adventurers. Charming chauffeur dropped us off at Eataly’s front door, holding his umbrella over the van door as we gazed at the incredibly large building.

So much space.  So many different kinds of…. everything!  Jam, coffee, sweets, olive oils, meat, vegetables, cheeses, pastas, fish and seafood and of course the wine cellar.  Light and airy, there was room to just stand and gaze.  It was the biggest and most spacious eating mecca I’d ever seen.  At each “reparto” or section, there was the opportunity to buy or taste and take away items.  Bar style seating looked over the seafood and meat departments.  Ground espresso packages surrounded the wall of the cafes.  A magnificent cheese selection made choosing one impossible, despite being near the finest cheese producing province in the country.

In the honey section, we couldn’t find the Biellese mountain variety that Brenda had sampled a few nights before.  Katherine pondered the pickled onion choices.  I think Jack found the book store featuring Slow Food editions.

We wandered, we nibbled, we learned.   We didn’t want to leave.  The chauffeur said he would be back with his girlfriend on Saturday.  Life was good.

Galleria di Milano

Whoopee.  I feel financial security on the horizon. The government clearly has a grip on the rudder to steer this mighty cruise ship around the horn of globalization.

Such pessimism contrasts with my usual cheery outlook, I know.  From my perspective, this is not an economic stimulus but a cultural slap.  More consumer spending during lunch hour, evening and on Sunday chews away at family and meal time, two Italian pillars of good existence.  Already office workers have a dramatically reduced lunch break.  Day care charges extra to retrieve kids after 6 pm.  Years ago,  the “moduli” school day dissipated, and along with it,  long breaks for kids to go home at lunch.  Mega supermarkets generally are open during lunch and increasingly on Sunday.  Eliminating regulated shopping hours makes it that much more difficult for families to reconnect over a meal.

Let’s face it:  the Italian economic cruise ship has been floating near the shoals for quite some time.  Twenty years ago, Italy’s economy wasn’t fantastic, but it was robust.  Multitudes of family businesses created a diversified economy with strong international and domestic consumption.  In the early 90′s, It amazed me how things from ball point pens to garden chairs were “Made in Italy.” Of course, tax evasion was an issue then as now.

Employment for new graduates wasn’t easy, but sooner or later the work contract that gave way too much job security would appear.  Young workers may be underemployed with no upward perspectives.  Maybe their could join a family company?  Or perhaps the family could finance a small business venture. Now, parents of new graduates encourage immigration as a valid career option.

Twenty years ago, diverse family owned businesses financed mainly with cash were Italy’s strength.  At the turn of the century, many of these large family companies started moving their manufacturing to Eastern Europe or China.  Expensive commitments to overly generous work contracts contributed to this. Foreign investors bought these family companies and perspectives changed.  Domestic markets opened up, offering European and Chinese goods.  The attack on “Made in Italy” began in earnest.  Rational consumers, Italians began to look beyond their borders for less expensive every day purchases.  Can more flexible shopping hours really solve this?

So now Italy’s talking austerity?  Wait a minute!  Did you forget that 4 years ago, elementary schools in Milan started requiring kids to bring in rolls of toilet paper, and copy paper?  Austerity’s been around for the last five years. Through the changes, the partisan politics, the challenge, the average Italian could always rely on simple pleasures: expresso and conversation with friends, a meal enjoyed together.

Vediamo… we’ll see.

The Tapestry Room circa 1926 photo by T.E. Marr and Son, from the Gardner Museum web site

Thanks to the recent opening of the Gardner extension, we can really appreciate the installation that Isabella Stuart Gardner created in 1915.  The Tapestry Room is no longer the museum’s concert hall, but a thought-provoking  selection of international art through the ages.

I had the great pleasure of working with the Museum’s Conservation Department on this refurbishment project (which does help to explain the rather erratic blog posts and tour announcements during the last year).  As a Textiles Conservator, my job was to create soft furnishings that were either  missing or disintegrating.  It meant researching what was on display in 1926, sourcing contemporary equivalents, constructing the textiles and documenting the process for future conservators.  One of my first tasks was to check the quality of 55 yards of silk damask custom dyed for the curtains.

Studying the project list during the first week of work, I knew it would be joyous and challenging.  There was a lot of hand sewing, pattern development and trial and error to consider in the timeline.  The conservation labs had been demolished to allow space for the extension, so working space was often redefined weekly.  I’m flexible, like to problem solve, and a textilphiliac.  It was a fantastic 14 months.

from the Boston Public Library Flickr Stream

For decades, the Tapestry room was the performance room for the museum’s cherished music programming. Many Bostonians have fond memories of great concerts in this unique venue and are nostalgic for the past. But the tradition amplifies in the new Calderwood Concert hall: fantastic acoustics in an intimate setting that reminds me of a Baroque Opera House alla Renzo Piano.

Conservation staff keep Mrs Gardner’s spirit in each decision of their work and this was no different in the Tapestry Room Refurbishment project.  Isabella Stuart Gardner defined her legacy with this gift to the public and in the links she created between the art forms in each gallery.  Mrs Gardner realized  her travels and studies opened her mind, and she wanted to share them with America.  Serving as both curator and collector, she displayed paintings, sculpture, textiles, furnishings and decorative arts in ways that encourage contemplation, connections and provoke questions.  Working almost exclusively in the Tapestry room, I could draw my own conclusions about why writing tools from the Near East were placed near a book describing Japanese tea rituals under a portrait of a pope.

My contract was long enough to spend some time in  the new conservation labs and watch the protective paper come off the newly refinished Tapestry room floors.  I didn’t get to see the nearly finished gallery until an opening event in January.  The staff  were in their finest, with cinnamon doughnuts and drinks for everyone! We enjoyed a performance in Calderwood Hall, but I dashed out as soon as the applause faded.  I wanted to see the true star of the evening: The Tapestry room!

Through the  new glass walkway, under the arch, and into the Palace, my heels clicked.  Slowing down, the new first impression of the Gardner breathtaking.   No more “where am I,”  or “where do I put my coat “and “goodness that entrance line is long.”  Those details are left behind in the Extension, leaving you ready for the breathtaking magic of the the Palace cloisters and courtyard at night.  I am in a special place. Despite my focus on reaching my destination, savoring the courtyard setting is irresistible.

Around the courtyard, up the stairs and through the second floor galleries, I finally reach this grand banquet hall.  Nearly alone, the Tapestry Room glimmered richly under the new lighting system, reflected in the refinished floors, newly conserved objects and sumptuous furnishings. I felt proud and insignificant.  All of my work blended into the whole installation.  Each detail supports and enhances the space. I hoped that Mrs. Gardner would have been delighted, too.

With the Extension project now open to the public, the Gardner Museum seeks to strengthen its role as a cultural center.  The new spaces allow this, with the Palace serving as a constant source of inspiration.  Do try to visit the historic collection as well as the contemporary exhibits, participate in a lecture,  attend a concert or just hang out in the living room with visitors from around the world.  You are the reason this Museum exists.  Welcome to Gardner.

Enjoyed a family vacation to DC over the holidays, and I’m pleased to report that everyone had a good time.  With two teenagers, things could have been…. different?

We rented an apartment not far from Ben’s Chili Bowl, started our schedule late morning and made sure the kids were responsible for planning portions of the itinerary.  Probably the biggest adjustment was famished teenagers! As you might imagine, I had a long list of textile oriented places I wanted to visit.  Unfortunately, not everyone is as crazy about textiles, yarn and fabric as I am.  Sigh.  I didn’t get to the entire list, not even a stop at Knitty City.   But, it was nice to see the Hope Diamond again, this time in the “Embracing Hope” setting created by Winston jewelers.  It’s all a matter of family choices.

Probably my top priority was on display the National Gallery: the newly restored Pastrana tapestries.  Amazing, magnificent, sparkling, and sad, the four panels commemorate the Portuguese invasion of Asilah and Tangiers in 1471.  The word “panel” understates their magnitude: each tapestry measures about 12 x 36 feet! I found myself alternating between wonder, respect and grief.  The invasion led by Alfonso V and his son took place in days of pouring rain, yet the overall first impression was a large festival! Thousands of people died or were taken captive.  Such is the revisionist, glorified propaganda tradition.

Designed and constructed in Belgium, these tapestries are made of wool and silk thread.  Detail of costume, weaponry, guesses at North African architecture, and so many people left me a bit breathless.  The National Gallery did an admirable job displaying the works.  Each gallery was very large, with careful lighting so you could examine the newly restored details or marvel at the impact of the piece.  Interpretive signage highlighted aspects of the storytelling in each panel.  The dark French blue walls kept the focus on tapestries. Benches in the middle of the room encouraged lingering.  The exhibit closed on January 8, but it moves to Dallas, San Diego and Indianapolis during the next year.  Do plan your travels to include a stop by the museums that will host this.

Congress was on recess, so DC was calm and relatively uncrowded (except for women’s bathrooms at most museums).  Its strong city planning, monumental architecture give a comprehensive look at America, and in my opinion, anyone who travels in the US should include the capital. Allow at least 4 days to sample the highlights.  While it’s a fairly common destination for US families, I’m guessing that more families hit the Disney complexes before they go to DC. However, it’s not on the immediate hit list for European tourists.  Most tour operators will send people to Las Vegas, Miami or San Francisco before they include Washington.  Such a shame! America is so much more than shopping, shows and gambling. This quote, part of an exhibit at the Museum of American Art, certainly holds true with me.

Visiting DC definitely made me proud to call myself American. Our country has created so much in so few years…. good and bad, I know.  Can we channel the good and vanquish the bad?  Our individual creations and contributions work to this societal goal every day.

Courtyard roof of the National Portrait Gallery

As a lover of all craft, the Renwick Gallery is not to be missed.  I was delighted to see work by Wendell Castle and Sam Maloof, not to mention some beautiful quilts.  Fortunately, portions of the Gallery can be photographed, so I couldn’t resist this detail of Sheila Hicks’ “Silk Rainforest.”

Textilphiliacs cannot miss the nearby Textile Museum for its current exhibits. The whole family will enjoy the Museum of Native Americans. The ceremonial garb, clothing and jewelry in their displays use different materials than my everyday studio contents, not to mention the motifs. But the history, music and architecture of the building are inspiring… and there’s been rave reviews of its cafe.