News

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

De Poi artist presents ceramic pitcher to Perugia

Lynne Hobaica, our de Poi exchange artist, is finishing up her last few days in Perugia. She had a full house for her June 11 presentation at the Academy of Fine Arts. Last year's recipient of the de Poit award, Qing Qu, who spent three weeks in residency in Seattle with Pottery Northwest, was one of the attendees, along with our sister city president Leslie Keller.

Hobiaca (below, right) created this beautiful pitcher with the image of the griffin, the symbol of Perugia. (It's also the name of our sister city e-newsletter.) She presented this lovely ceramic piece to City of Perugia officials to thank them for welcoming her so warmly.

Well done, Lynne!

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Dante Society may need to find a new home

Sad news for the Italian community and for those who appreciate historic preservation. The Garden House on Beacon Hill, where the Dante Alighieri Society has held its meetings for many years, may be looking for a new home. The Garden House, at 2336 15th Ave. S., is the oldest home on Beacon Hill. The state garden society has voted to put it up for sale, sparking fears it could be torn down for new development. (Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times)

The Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs voted this week to put the house up for sale. Built 145 years ago, it is the oldest building on Beacon Hill. The future of the historic property, valued at more than $2 million, is up in the air. Read more here.

 

Saturday, June 9, 2018

De Poi artist Lynne Hobaica features her work in Perugia

Seattle ceramist Lynne Hobaica is winding up her three-week residency in Perugia as the 2018 De Poi Award recipient. She is the third artist to participate in the exchange program.

A presentation and discussion of her work will held June 11 in Perugia at the library of the Accademia delle Belle Arti (Academy of Fine Arts). We thank our many partners in Perugia who hosting Hobaica during her residency. Partners include the Academy of Fine Arts, Perugia-Seattle sister city association, City of Perugia, Antica Deruta and Chiara De Poi.

The De Poi Award brings together artists from Seattle’s Pottery Northwest, the region’s premier pottery facility, with artists selected by the Accademia delle Belle Arti (Academy of Fine Arts) in Perugia. The sister cities alternate hosting artists each year for three-week residencies.

Hobaica, below, a native of Phoenix, received a BFA from Syracuse University, N.Y., and an MFA in sculptural conceptions/ceramics from the College of Fine Arts in Linz, Austria.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018

May 22 members event featured Marialucia Luongo

About 20 Seattle Perugia Sister City and Il Punto members joined Marialucia Luongo at our May 22 event at Caruccio's Culinary Event Center on Mercer Island.

Luongo, a journalist and teacher, is originally from Naples but has lived in Perugia for 23 years. At the event, she shared her passion for food with our group, bringing a little piece of Italy to the Pacific Northwest. We learned more about each dish served, its ingredients and how to prepare it.

Thank you, Marialucia!

Monday, May 7, 2018

The food and stories of Italy: May 22 culinary workshop

Join journalist and Perugia resident Maria Lucia Luongo on May 22 as we celebrate the food and stories of Italy, and Naples in particular. A professor of the history of Italian cuisine at the Pieve International School in Umbria, she is originally from Naples.

From 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Luongo will lead a discussion about Italian food. We'll enjoy a delicious four-course dinner with recipes drawn from her book, "Cucinaria: Letters from the Kitchen," a bilingual salute to the home cooking of three Neapolitan families who shared their recipes, stories and friendship with the author.
The event will be held in Caruccio's Culinary Event Center on Mercer Island, owned by SPSCA members Lisa Caruccio and her husband Rino, a native of Italy. The event center forms an elegant backdrop for Luongo as she talks about the background and preparation for each course. A few copies of her cookbook will be available for those who wish to purchase them.

The menu includes light appetizers; first course (two kinds of lasagne, tomato-based sauce/bechamel); second course (polpette di carne/polpette di pesce); vegetable side dish (zucchine trifolate) and custard with fresh berries for dessert. Two glasses of wine, taxes and tip are also included.

This event is being co-sponsored with Il Punto Italian Cultural Center.  Register today! Space limited to 45 guests.

Date/time: Tuesday May 22, 5:30-9 p.m.

Location: Caruccio's, 2441 76th Avenue SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040
Cost: $100 SPSCA and Il Punto members
$120 nonmembers