CCR Book Club - May 21, 2024

In May, the club is going to discuss "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver. This Pulitzer Prize-winner for 2023 is the story of a boy born into poverty in Appalachia who dreams of being a Marvel Comics superhero. In this homage to the classic "David Copperfield" the author weaves a story that critiques an American social system that not simply fails to lift up, but actually dooms, those entrapped by poverty and drug addiction.

When: Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Time: 6 p.m.

Where: Private residence of CCR member (near Piazza Cavour); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 

Potluck: Please let Lucy know what you'll be bringing.

Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy.

CCR at the Komen Race for the Cure - May 12, 2024

This year marks the 25th year of the Komen Race for the Cure in Italy and we'll have a team gathering to participate. Join other members of the Canadian Club of Rome to participate in the run/walk for breast cancer awareness and research!

Young and old -- women, men and kids -- are all welcome to participate.

When: Sunday, May 12, 2024

Timing: Meet Cindi and the CCR team between 9 and 9:15 a.m. in front of Ad Hoc Restaurant, Via dei Cerchi 75 (Circo Massimo). The 5 km run or 2 km walk will begin at 10 a.m. following a route through the historic centre of Rome. The Race Village will be open from the 9th to the 12 of May in the Circus Maximus, offering information and screening activities.

Registration: Sign up individually at the link on this page and write "Canadian Club of Rome" to join our team where it says "Iscriviti ad una squadra già esistente." The €15 donation to participate includes the commemorative t-shirt and knapsack, which can be picked up at the Circo Massimo Race Village or at the Komen offices on Circ. Clodia 80b between 9 and 12 May.

Email: canadarome@gmail.com to let us know if you'll be joining us, so we can watch for you at the meeting point!

CCR Book Club - April 24, 2024

"Black Water Lilies" by Michel Bussi ("Nymphéas noirs" in French) is the book pick for the month of April. One reviewer said "this very stylish crime novel" celebrates "sensuous and cerebral pleasures to get down and dirty with crime scene decomposition and suchlike. The Frenchman writes with chutzpah and all the more so as the audacious story develops."

When: Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Time: 5 p.m.
Where: Private residence of CCR member (Quartiere Flaminio); exact address sent to confirmed participants by email. Open only to current members of the CCR. 
Potluck: Please let Lucy know what you'll be bringing.
Further info & RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Lucy.

Multi-Sensory Aperitivo - April 18, 2024

Join us in this multi-sensory space where gastronomy blends with art and culture. Both an exhibition space and a fun boutique are part of this venue. An aperitif awaits you with a dedicated menu, punctuated by the sound of bells from an adjacent church. Even Quasimodo would enjoy it!

On Thursdays there's live music starting at 9:30, so you could make an evening of it if you decide to stay on.

When: Thursday, Apr. 18, 2024

Time:  6-8 p.m.

Where: Caffè Delle Esposizioni, Via Nazionale 194A

Cost: No host, i.e. each person pays for whatever they order, including water, bread, etc. For example, a cocktail or glass of wine with a charcuterie board or a vegetarian mix is €15.

RSVP: canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Marielle by noon on Apr. 16th to secure a spot at our table.

CCR Walks: Courtesans of Rome - April 14, 2024

Let us follow their footsteps over Rome’s cobblestones as they flick their silky fans at us. Fiammetta, Matrema-non-vole and Imperia are just a few of the most famous of Rome's cortigiane oneste, the upper class courtesans who were treated as royalty by their admirers and would-be lovers in the 15th and early 16th centuries. Their fantastical gowns, sumptuous jewels and luxurious apparel, outrageous banquets and intricate etiquette made their way into ballads, literary works and music -- often written by these very same educated, sophisticated women. Their colourful world all but disappeared with the Sack of Rome in 1527 and the strictures of the Counter-Reformation, but  their memory lives on in the streets, and we will explore it.

When: Sunday, April 14, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. walk starts; optional: meet at 9:30 for coffee or 9:45 for briefing.

Meeting Place: registered participants will be informed of the exact spot by email.

Cost: €10 for CCR members, €15 for non-members. You are financially responsible for your booking.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com ATTN Peter before 5 p.m. April 11.

Charity Fundraiser: Auction and Reception - May 18, 2024

We're going to top off our 2023-2024 club season with a fun fundraising event, with all proceeds going to CCR's charity this season, Differenza Donna! Since 1989 this registered Italian non-profit organization has been helping women affected by violence through information campaigns, interventions, shelters and a dedicated help line, along with medical, psychological and social support.

The modest participation fee will cover basic costs, including refreshments, but we really hope many of you will also get involved with our silent auction to raise funds. Let us know by April 23rd if you also have an appropriate item to be auctioned in a very fun way. Have you received a gorgeous gift that just doesn't fit your home décor? Have fine duplicate items at home? Switched from gold to silver jewellery? Instead of re-gifting or having it take up precious space, let it become someone else's treasure!

If you don't have any items or services to contribute, you can still help this worthy cause by bidding on a special item to take home.

Do you have a small business with a product or service to donate to our silent auction? Join others who have already donated items like a winery excursion, restaurant meals and beauty treatments. You'll contribute to a great cause and have an excellent opportunity for promotion with a friendly, interested crowd.

Thank you to our club sponsor Air Canada Italy for their invaluable contribution to this charity event.

When: Saturday, May 18, 2024

Where: CCR members' private residence, Corso Trieste area; exact address sent to confirmed participants by email.

Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: CCR members €10, guests €15, which includes aperitivo foods, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. We also welcome donations for the auction but let us know by April 23rd. All proceeds will go to this year's charity, Differenza Donna.

RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com by 14 May, 2024, or until full. Advance payment is required. When booking, please let us know whether or not you'll be donating an item for the silent auction so we can prepare a descriptive card and bidding sheet.

More information on our charity, Differenza Donna: see here.