L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURS DAY,   MAY  16,   2013 PAGE  17 The Luxur y Marketing Council Shines at the Italian Consulate NICKOLAS MARINELLI It was like a Chamber of Commerce mixer on steroids. Representatives from some of the most exclusive providers of Italian luxury products and services gathered at the Italian Consulate in San Francisco to mix and mingle with each other, and with those for whom champagne wishes and caviar dreams are a way of life. Hosted by the Honorable Mauro Battocchi, Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco presented Bella Figura: A Celebration of Italy. And what a celebration it was. From the moment one arrived at the Italian Consulate, there was no doubt that this was a stylish affair. Valet parking was available for all the Ferrari, Maserati, Mercedes and BMW cars that were lined up around the block. Upon entering the Consulate, one was greeted by Alf Nucifora, the Chairman of the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco, who personally welcomed each person attending. A few short steps inside the Consulate, attendees were offered a glass of wine provided by Colleen Arnold of CCA Wine Appellations, Ltd. Those not accustomed to the absolute best The Honorable Mauro Battocchi, Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, hosted the event at the Italian Consulate. wines could not have appreciated what they had in their hands; fortunately, few fell into that category. When offered a glass by a friend, one person politely declined, saying that he wasn't able to imbibe because of health concerns. His friend replied, "If you're going to die, this is the way to do it." Unable to refute the logic, he sampled the Capitel della Crosara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. "Well?" asked the friend. "I'm not dead," he replied, "but I'm definitely in heaven." Ascending the grand staircase, it was necessary to fight off waiters generously offering some of the most delicious hors d'oeuvres one could imagine, all expertly May 17, Fri. - Cal Performances: San Francisco Opera Orchestra - Puccini: Capriccio Sinfonico (piano concerto). Rota: Piano Concerto (with pianist Giuseppe Albanese), Brahms: Symphony n. 3 in F Major, Op. 90. Cal Performances, University of California , Berkeley . For information http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/performances/201213/chamber-orchestra/san-francisco-opera-orchestra.php May 17-19, Fri.-Sun.- Food Revolution Day May 17 Food and wine tasting at Italian Cultural Institute: 6:30 - 8:30 pm. May 19 A Tavola con le Forchette Tricolore, at Consolate General of Italy in San Francisco. For information http:// www.jamieoliver.com/foundation/ May 19, Sun.- Museo Italoamericano Illustrated Lecture: Lucca: City to Discover. Lecture by Dr. William J.Tognotti, 4:00 pm. Space is limited – Please RSVP to (415) 673-2200 May 20, Mon. - The Italian Center of the West The Italian Center of the West Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake City/Torino Sister Cities, PO Box 3802, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-3802, http://www.italiancenterofthewest.com/ May 23, Thurs. -Italian Cultural Institute. Walking Together Opening 814 Montgomery Street, San Francisco. Runs through June 14, 2013. For information (415) 788-7142 orcontact.sanfrancisco@esteri.it May 24, Fri. - "The Explorer": symphonic composition by Francesco Traversi, Bing Concert hall in San Francisco . For information http://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/201213/SFS-at-Bing-Concert-Hall.aspx May, 27, Mon.-Fourth Annual Memorial Day Scampagnata. A traditional Memorial Day picnic, 11:00am-2:00pm at The Italian Cemetery (540 F Street in Colma). For information call (650) 755-1511. In front of the Italian Consulate, Ferrari and Maserati provided a selection of their fastest vehicles. Photo courtesy of Nickolas Marinelli hand-prepared by award-winning Chef Michele Belotti of Ristobar in San Francisco. Before reaching the main reception hall of the Consulate, one had no choice but to stop and visit Antoinette Sloan of Lee Fish, U.S.A., who was offering generous samples of Oshietra caviar from Calvisano, a small town between Venice and Milan. Oshietra caviar is one of the most prized and expensive types of caviar, eclipsed in price only by Beluga caviar. It is obtained from the Oshietra sturgeon, which weighs 50-400 pounds and can live up to fifty years. Consul General Battocchi welcomed everybody to the event as they gathered in the reception hall of the Consulate, which was not only filled with the elite of the community, but with the very best that Italy had to offer in style, food, wine and fashion. The Luxury Marketing Council, a business organization of CEOs and senior sales and marketing practitioners, is considered the global leader in the rapidly-growing arena of luxury marketing and the "Gold Standard" for the intelligent exploration of best marketing practices and trends in the luxury marketplace. Since its inception in 1994, the Luxury Marketing Council has grown to include over thirty global chapters representing over a thousand leading luxury brands.

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