Tre
After its lavish spot-the-celeb opening, this new club and eatery is on its way to becoming one of the regular stopping-off points for clubbers making their weekly pilgrimages to the nightlife temples of the trendy Testaccio district. Set out on three floors, there is a ground floor disco and a self-styled ‘kitchen bar’ on the upper level. One of the best features of the club, however, is the two-level terrace. Just the thing for chilling out as those warm Roman evenings approach.
U modrou kachnicky
Arguably Prague’s finest purveyor of gourmet Czech food, The Blue Duckling, as its name translates into English, is well known to parliamentarians and movie actors alike. The original location in the city’s Mala Strana district across the Vltava river has finally grown into a second, more easily found branch in the Old Town district. The new edition still banks on what this place has always done best – the kitchen’s trademark delicate handling of game and their mastery of fine, hearty sauces of natural herbs and Moravian wines. Service is impeccable, the atmosphere old-world and presentation is something that would make a Bohemian grandmother proud.
From Pagan to Christian Rome
One of the final exhibitions to celebrate Holy Year 2000 is also one of the most fascinating. This show is dedicated to the passage from pagan to Christian rituals, and the subsequent transformations in art, politics and town-planning. 400 works, from exquisite gold, silver and ivory jewellery to marble statues, mosaics and illustrated manuscripts depict the arts and life-styles that emerged in the caput mundi between the 3rd and the 8th centuries.
Dancing Downtown
One of America’s most acclaimed and well-respected dance ensemble, ODC/San Francisco is turning 30. The troupe celebrates its anniversary season during their annual Dancing Downtown production. The extended three-week season features a mix of physical dynamism and choreographic eloquence that has become synonymous with the Bay Area’s leading contemporary dance company. The season is comprised of three programmes and includes five world premières as well as six repertory favourites. Music includes works by Mozart, Yo-Yo Ma, Zap Mama, Dr John, Duke Ellington and Philip Glass.
Global Conceptualism
The always challenging List Visual Arts Center at MIT hosts this major touring group show, which features more than 200 works that survey the rise of conceptualism in the latter half of the 20th-century. The exhibition features idea-based photography, mixed media, films, videos, drawings, paintings and installations from over 130 international artists from Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Australia, the United States, Korea and China.
Internet Supermarket
On-line supermarket shopping may not be a novelty in Britain, but it certainly is here in Florence. Although visitors to the city who are staying in hotels will probably not be interested in the service, self-caterers will welcome not having to trek into the suburbs where the supermarkets are located. It’s easy to use (although in Italian, so keep a dictionary handy), there is no minimum order, deliveries are made Monday to Saturday and the overall charge is only L7,000.
Brunch at Momoyama
Weekend brunch seems to be all the rage these days in Florence, and although you’d be hard pushed to find anything as good as what’s available in Britain or the US, there are some interesting options on offer. Momoyama is a trendy Oltrarno restaurant that serves Japanese and ‘inventive’ food. Sunday brunch there is based on natural, healthy ingredients plus sushi. Hot and cold dishes are prepared using cereals, organic vegetables and fruit, tofu, seitan and other products, carefully sourced from small producers.
Climax
This monthly party at Prague’s vaunted Roxy club is the place to be on Saturday night – particularly if you’re partial to E. The idea is that everyone pops a pill at the same time and the crowd has a mass simultaneous climax. Everyone is guided to these heights by the able veteran Prague DJ Chris Sadler, a Nottingham native. Joining him on the decks is a Prague native Josef Sedlon, another DJ force to be contended with and a star of local fringe radio. Dan Cooley is also on tap tonight, with chillout tracks provided in a second dance area by DJ ALI. Just mind the crumbling plaster of this former 1920s’ movie house.
