Greetings, Cenacolisti!
Now that we are heading into February, I, probably like many of you, am eagerly awaiting the coming of Spring. We received a real pelting of rain while I was sitting composing this letter. We do need it and I am thankful for the deluge at times; we also like the beautiful mild springtime that is descending upon our winter months. One can never say that the Bay Area winters are predictable; we know that they aren’t like winters in other parts of the country! Although our weather this year has been mild, the darkness of winter days of December and January gets bleak about this time of year. But as the days begin to lengthen, I'm buoyed by the fact that the exuberance of Spring and Summer is just around the corner. Il Cenacolo has settled into a pattern of regular weekly programs. No special dinners or Thursdays off for awhile; just fine Thursday luncheon programs to entertain and enlighten us all.
I want to thank David Giannini, our Treasurer and a Past-President, for presenting four diverse and very interesting speakers in January. As always, David's month was filled with fascinating presentations and continued our endeavor to provide diversity, enlightenment and entertainment in our presentations. I hope you enjoyed the January program as much as I did.
February's speaker's list also looks very interesting and varied. I want to thank John Benson, who has found a number of interesting and accomplished speakers. I know I am looking forward to hearing these during the month. See the first page of this Bulletin for the presentations that will be offered. I hope you can attend some, if not all, of the presentations.
My Alla Corrente last month dealt with Giorgione, one of the important artists of the Italian Renaissance, but in a city outside Florence and Rome. The exhibit at the de Young museum on paintings of Venice during the Renaissance is on display until February 12. This month's Alla Corrente considers the life and works of probably the greatest artist of the Venetian Renaissance. . .Titian. Some of his works are on display in the exhibit as well. I hope you have a chance to see them "up close and personal" in the exhibit and that you enjoy the Alla Corrente essay.
I know this is an early announcement, but many of us need to plan future events several months in advance to be sure that we are able to attend. So. . .this year's Opera Outing will be held at the Seghesio Family Winery in Healdsburg. Something different this year. . .we are returning to an Italian outdoor picnic like we had at Monte Rosso for years. It will be held in the Grove of the winery (the area where we had wine and appetizers before the dinner). We are working with Dana (our wonderful contact at the winery) and the chef to have a picnic dinner similar to the ones we had for years before we moved to Seghesio (bread, wine, salad, pasta, chicken, and dessert). We will keep you informed about how this event and its menu are shaping up. The date has been set for Sunday September 16, 2012. Please plan on attending and watch for the reservation form coming this summer.
It's that time of year again!! We are looking for gentlemen who wish to serve as Board members or officers. Election will be at our annual meeting in June. If you are interested in serving or if you wish to nominate someone who is interested in serving, please contact me or one of the other Board members or officers. Please consider this service to Il Cenacolo; we need people who are willing to serve.
The Leonardo da Vinci Society has two excellent programs coming up in February and March. On February 14, Keith Devlin (the "Math Guy" on NPR) from Stanford University will speak on "Fibonacci’s Arithmetical Revolution and the Birth of Modern Finance." It will be a presentation about Fibonacci's role in bringing Arabic mathematical formulations and numerals to Western Europe. Also, Fibonacci was responsible for the "double entry" bookkeeping that has become the norm for modern-day finance. Sounds like a very engrossing topic. The time is 7:30-9:30 and the place is the The Museo Italo Americano at Fort Mason (Building C).
The March program of the Leonardo da Vinci Society will present Michael Stehr, an artist and art historian, who will speak about "St Peter's Basilica, the Greatest Landmark in Western Culture." Time and place for this event are the same as the February program. Another great lecture on a terrific topic!!
Finally, I hope to see you at the Fior during February for several, if not all, of the month's programs. It's hard to beat the luncheon, wine, and camaraderie for the price. And as always, very interesting, informative, and entertaining speakers.
Ciao.
Jim Boitano, il Presidente
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