L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 7 J ojo Capece is an artist and the author of three books, All Roads Lead to Rome (2011), Bella Figura (2013) and m o s t r e c e n t l y , P o r t o f i n o Souvenir (2015). Titles like t h e s e p r o m p t e d L ' I t a l o - Americano to interview Capece about her work as an author, sculptress and her Italian roots. We asked Capece to share some details about her back- ground with our readers, her Italian heritage and how she c a m e t o l i v e i n t h e S a n F r a n c i s c o B a y A r e a . " T o b e born with Italian blood is one of life's advantages - especially Neapolitan blood, because what- ever the circumstances, there's music inside me that I hope, radiates, to those I meet. 'Destino' made my journey to reside in San Francisco a sur- prise and delight, something I never would have mapped as my future. In 1967, for the first time in life, I left my family as a bride to reside in Istanbul, Turkey because my first hus- band was serving the US Air Force. Those years, a magical link between the Mediterranean culture and the Bosporus sur- rounded me." U p o n r e t u r n i n g t o t h e U S three years later, Capece found herself in the diverse setting of Washington, DC. "An upheaval met with divorce, an interna- tional move, opening a business in London and then a home in Rome." Some of this is noted in her first book, All Roads Lead to Rome. "For a total of twenty- three years, I lived abroad. In Rome, 'Italy is never enough for a lifetime,' are the last lines in this book that began a trilogy on I t a l y . " H e r l a t e s t n o v e l , Portofino Souvenir, completes the trilogy on Italy, inspired because I knew the Agusta fam- ily and my husband grew up there 90 years ago." Capece has lived throughout Europe so we asked her why she c h o s e t o l i v e i n S a n Francisco. "Life is a full circle and I sense the essence of Italy b y t h e w e a t h e r o f S a n F r a n c i s c o , t h e b e a u t y o f i t s landscape like Tuscany, moun- tains and setting as 'America's Riviera.' I searched for a place in the States that would have no mosquitoes, a temperate cli- m a t e , c u l t u r e a n d g o o d c u i - sine, finding the Bay reminis- cent of Europe." She explains how writing a n d a r t b e c a m e p a r t o f h e r life. "I write because I have much inside me. As a child, I was a chatterbox and this has c o n t i n u e d o n p a p e r . I w r i t e b e c a u s e I o b s e r v e . I w r i t e b e c a u s e i t f u e l s m y m i n d . I paint and sculpt because it fuels my soul. Writing is not easy for m e . E a c h o f u s h a s a b o o k inside - a story to tell - and per- haps it is years of discipline that brings this idea to reality. My first wish was to be an actress! Of course! This is very Neapolitan! My Mother forbid me and so I went to art school developing whatever talent I contained. Not until I reached Rome, did I sculpt. I a m f i r s t a n d f o r e m o s t a w i f e a n d a m o t h e r . I h a v e a huge appetite for life and the table! So, I love to cook and have dinner parties where the art of conversation - so very Italian - shines while friends dine." When asked why she chose to write about the mysterious true story of Countess Francesca Agusta, she replied, "Each book is a part of me so it will be no surprise that I knew the beauti- ful Francesca and was riveted to t h e d e t a i l s o f h e r d e m i s e . I b e c a m e f a s c i n a t e d w i t h t h e m y s t e r y t h a t o c c u r r e d i n Portofino, thus I wrote the story from the vantage point of my o t h e r p r o t a g o n i s t , V i c t o r i a S i m m o n s , a j o u r n a l i s t , a s I imagined it, researched it and in s o m e c a s e s l i v e d i t . I t w a s important for me to also portray 'la dolce vita', marriage Italian style, the 1%, and the Italian lover, or, shall I say, lovers and t h e v u l n e r a b l e s i t u a t i o n a woman can be in because of a need to love and be loved." C a p e c e r e t u r n s t o S a n F r a n c i s c o ' s C o m m o n w e a l t h CATHERINE ACCARDI SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY Jojo Capece. Courtesy of Jojo Capece & The Daily Mail rm rm C C 6 y ser om ty ser om ity ser T o m d al un al er atio r t o m w h ncs.com comm an www an d a Colonia i liancs.com de e he C y ca i ta d ion ica d d g l. .italiancs.com 9413 6 www 5 6423 • nci o, CA 94133 362 • 415 n Francisco, CA 94133 an Francisco, CA 94133 G S 67 Street S 78 Green Street 678 Green Street C C a Coloniale J . oh F ohn F F F. Fugazi asa Coloniale J Casa Coloniale J ill. wil tion and good dw dw s n t cation and good uca du du d p y, e on y, e ed ed ty, e un ty, e i unit it eng y, comm muni il il ily, comm m amil mil f h om f fam ng t c a hat com at com t t tha r uo ang a and s ia e h th engt hasi ul r tr s he s t r hasis on t the s h a p d p h an emp phasis on t phasis on t th an emp th an emp nd it e, w wi ur tur cult ing uage alian lang iv li tiv talian lang It he d p ing t the e ving t ving t mm r er r de re p and p pr pr de ing r d to hono ed to hono ed to hono i ie e m commi mi p h nd . W e liv v. W r ctive liv d uctiv rodu pendent and p prod li am hem y, inde ependent and p ependent and p an hy, inde th alt e he eal liv hem liv ve he an t f p t them liv them liv h n-A help t c d rour rc to B ed rour ed rour te rust trus h th it ili w wi Ita Ser a amili w fam fam an and d f it rs rs io enio ican senio ican mer e alian-Amer er C t n C talian-Ame talian-Ame It It alia Se y A ay A B a v es id B rovid prov vices r Italian Community Ser rvices rvices s e er o or ma als r err atio nation d eferr o ormation and r er ommunit un • Inf formation and r dinat on a gran mm i vice coor e • Community ser t ti n f nsla w immigrants ne /ne s or senior anslation f for senior r • T Tr . . zi and om d 33 com Fugazi e and e e are e ar to W We ar c to a ea r A Portofino Souvenir & A Conversation with Jojo Capece Club for the third time on May 1 7 t o s p e a k a b o u t P o r t o f i n o Souvenir. What does she want her audience to know about her books? "The objective of the three books is to show my love of Italy. Secondly, to let women believe they can accomplish anything no matter what odds present themselves. Many times I've been underestimated . . . maybe because I'm blonde with a devilish Italian wit, but all w o m e n c a r r y t h i s s t i g m a o f being underestimated. I hope my male audience respects the pro- tagonists and the female readers c o m e a w a y w i t h a s p a r k o f courage to make their dreams come true." For more information about J o j o C a p e c e ' s M a y 1 7 Commonwealth Club event, go to https://www.commonwealth- c l u b . o r g / e v e n t s / 2 0 1 6 - 0 5 - 17/portofino-souvenir. Her website can be found at http://www.jojocapece.com.

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