STUDENTSVILLE

In Tuscany, cantucci di Prato—miniature, anise-flavored almond biscotti—are traditionally served at the end of a meal with a glass of Tuscan dessert wine, vin santo, for dipping. “But, being English, Trudie and Sting often eat them with tea,” Sponzo says. Il Palagio’s vin santo (which is Italian for “holy wine”) is made with Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes from the estate’s own organic vineyards, which are dried in rafters before their sweet juice is pressed and fermented.

A midwinter morning dream ...the snow

Yesterday is finished the fifth edition of the Florence Queer Festival, an international review of cinema and art on the lesbian, gay and trasgender issues. From the 11th november to the 3rd dicember at the Odeon Immagine 6Cinema we could see more than thirty films (sometimes in European preview) to open our minds to a topic more relevant that ever.

“Happy New Tuscany” Contest Win New Years’ in TuscanyThe Region of Tuscany announces a contest to win a trip to Tuscany this holiday season. The grand prize is a week’s fully-paid luxury holiday, including international flight. There are four further prizes of a threhappy new tuscanye-day stay over New Year’s Eve in the company of Michelangelo’s David, in Piazza Campo in Siena, in view of Pisa’s Leaning Tower, or upon Lucca’s historic walls. The five trips will be awarded by random extraction to entrants who complete a simple online puzzle. The contest is open to everyone of age except residents of Tuscany. Deadline is December 10th 2009, at midnight.

Tuscany, land of great wines, will be devoting the precious nectar of the 10 days of events, conferences, exhibitions tastings, markets and museums open, dedicated to the vine and wine.The draft "winemakers and vignerons" was born from the desire to maximize this [Chianti Hills] valuable product, and especially to prioritize Tuscan producers, thanks to an ancient tradition, the attention in cultivating the vine,

From the Arno to the Ganges: in December, Florence will be hosting the 9th River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival, coming up this year with a retrospective on the wistful genius of Guru Dutt. Despite substantial budget cuts, this year’s Festival will come up with a wide range of films, new partnerships and interesting side events.logoR2R09 From 4 to 10 December, 2009, Florence will be hosting the 9th River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival, established and directed by Selvaggia Velo.

Panettone and pandoro are both Christmas staple throughout Italy: delicious and yummy as they do look, those traditional Italian sweet yeast breads, most popular around Christmas and other special occasions.Let's present these two Italian, Christmas stars! Panettone, the tall, cylindrical (usually taller than broad, with its hallmark domed shape), fruit-filled sweet bread has graced Christmas tables in Milan, pretty much as we find it today, since at least the Reinassance: there are many fascinating legends regarding its origins.The most well know of the panettone, describes a Milanese baker named Toni who had a beautiful daughter.A young nobleman wanted to marry her so disguised himself as a baker, and baked this special sweet bread filled with raisins and candied fruit peels to win the father’s approval. The two young people married, and meanwhile the sweet bread made Toni’s bakery famous, and was named “pan de Toni” or, Toni’s bread.

The “16112009121111Extra Edition” of the 2009 Motor Show will mark an all-out return to its origins: five days of pure spectacle – making full use of the extended holiday weekend in Italy between December 4 and 8 – with the public as the absolute main focus, and the desire for more fun with two and four wheels.The display exhibition section is confirmed too, in the central halls of the trade fair district. Spaces will display different themes and contents like technology and green solutions,road safety and road education, motor sports

AR/ Peuters Newsbits: The association of Tripe Vendors and Butchers (CTM) has purchased the rights for the use of Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze Perseus, which has stood threateningly under the Loggia dei Lanzi since the mid 16th century.

The seventh edition of the Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea of Florence will be held from 5th to 13th December 2009( E in the historical setting of Fortezza da Basso. Participants and guest will ahve the chance to meet within the many conferences and events, our Honour guests: Marina Abramovic and Shu Yong.Marina Abramovic will exhibit some of her videos at the Fortezza da Basso and will offer a lecture to the audience followed by a book signing and an exchange of thoughts between public and her;Shu Yong will exhibit some of the paintings from the series “Chinese Myths”.