What Italians do with newspapers (other than read them)

September 7, 2010 – 3:44 pm | View Comments

Italians read fewer newspapers than most of their Western European counterparts – only 5 million Italians (out of 60M) regularly read books or newspapers – resulting in an always-amusing range of marketing tactics in order …

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Flowers and Savoy royalty at Venaria Reale (Torino)

The 2010 Festival dei Fiori (March 12-15) promises to be a beautiful and royal event. Held at the Venaria Reale near Torino, Italy and Europe’s best flower designers go head to head in competition. You can see them at work and admire final products; best of all, bouquets created at the fair will be auctioned off starting at 10 euros which will go to help children in Haiti.

The setting is the Savoia family’s summer residence. On Saturday night, the current royal couple will preside over the Debutante ball, at which, in a fit of retrograde social activity, 20 young ladies will debut on the arms of military cadets. Plebes may reserve a spot at the ball for 150 euro per couple (black tie for men AND long dress required for the ladies).

At the BIT tourism fair in Milano this weekend I saw a preview of this show with flower arrangements by some of the participating artists, and it was SO beautiful! I really wished I could have taken some home.