VENETO - LIFESTYLE AND ART - watercolor artist: Francesca Brandolini d’Adda.

Veneto - watercolor artist: Francesca Brandolini d’Adda. Photographed in her studio, Venetian born, Francesca Brandolini d’Adda lives and works in the small town of Follina in the Prosecco hills near Venice. Follina is better known for it’s thirteenth century, Cistercian abbey: Santa Maria di Follina.
Contessanally tip: Click on the photographs to enlarge them.

Art. Just a few of the many postcards Francesca has painted of country houses, churches, historical buildings and landscapes for private and public commissions which are used as post card, Christmas cards or invitations. She is self taught and arrived at water-coloring through her admiration of the Neapolitan and English masters of the medium. Her personal style is unique and much admired by art critics. She boasts numerous one-man shows, as well as, collective exhibitions. Her works can be found in private and public collections in Italy and abroad.


Lifestyle. A view from the studio, which looks onto the thirteenth century, Cistercian abbey: Santa Maria di Follina.


Art. A group of trees inspired by the view from the studio above. On the book cover a watercolor, painted by Francesca of a Palladian Villa, published for the five-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Andrea Palladio, the renowned 16th-century architect. The focal point of a vision is crucial in her watercolors, a reference point that gives back a sense of nature and civilization. It is in these terms and in this connection that all the images of the artist are expressed.


Lifestyle. A collection of winter hats “sit” in the umbrella stand by the front door. The stylish painter always dresses with creative flare.




Art and lifestyle. Inspired by the hats above, this unusual watercolor is in fact a cut out of an antique chair on which a felt hat rests. The decoupage is pasted onto a beige sheet of paper and framed by a simple black wooden frame.




Lifestyle. On the kitchen sink stands an oil painting bought at auction. The Moka coffee-pot and the pottery jar are also depicted in the watercolor below.

Art. A country kitchen is the subject of one of her house interior inspired watercolors. She favors distinct compositions and a study for detail. The color, which she obtains through chromatic harmony, enforces the shapes without ever outshining them.

Lifestyle. A corner of Francesca cozy backyard where ivy, hydrangeas and American vine grow in abundance.

Art. One of the few oil paintings painted by Francesca of her small garden. Landscape, nature and architecture are translated in harmonious paintings where the subject acquires a more profound significance.

Art and lifestyle. The inside of the portal to her studio are painted with an imaginary trompe l'oiel landscape of the surrounding hills. In the foreground, her faithful Norwich terrier, Greg sits and enjoys the view.

Lifestyle. Francesca Brandolini d’Adda’s best friend and “boss” is her Norwich terrier, Greg. One of Francesca’s most popular commissions are portraits of peoples' pets.

Contact: Francesca Brandolini d’Adda + 39 339 7043519 or email me: nally@bellati.com

London: Valentine's Day - LUST, MURDER, DESSERT...Bon Appetit!

London: Valentine’s Day only screening of scratch ‘n’ sniff cinema. Architectural foodsmith, Bompas & Parr unveils the menu for its Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Cinema, the UK’s only screening where the audience can smell Peter Greenaway’s classic film, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. Hotdogs enrobed in 24 carat gold will headline the menu while the cinema will feature the world’s most extraordinary pick ‘n’ mix. Harry Parr, partner of Bompas & Parr comments: “Our menu will pump the audience chock full of aphrodisiacs. It’s going to be huge fun. Imagine impressing a lover by treating them to a 24-carat gold hot-dog!”






The Film: The film, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover will be screened on Valentine’s Day only as part of jotta.com’s inaugural Craft Fair. The menu imagines that Greenaway’s film has exploded from the screen to possess your local Odeon’s food concession. It features hot dogs enrobed in 24 carat gold, a naked body in the pop-corn machine and a pick ‘n’ mix including aphrodisiac marshmallows with phenyl ethylamine “love drug’ in chocolate, “roll your own” candy tobacco and boiled sweets that flash in your mouth.




The Aromas: Bompas & Parr is creating aromas including ‘rotting meat’ and ‘dusty books’ that capture the scent of key moments of Greenaway’s film. These aromas are being micro-encapsulated and printed onto special scratch ‘n’ sniff cards issued to the audience on arrival. The technique was pioneered by American director, John Waters for his 1981 film Polyester. He termed it ‘Odorama’.

Also: Visitors to the Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Cinema will enjoy hostesses with cigarette trays, a romantic speech and have a chance to break the world record for the most Ferrero Rocher eaten in a minute. Included in the ticket is the specially commissioned Agape cocktail made with Bulldog Gin. The gin contains the botanical dragon eye which is an aphrodisiac.
Tickets: can be obtained from Bompas and Parr - www.jellymongers.co.uk.

Milano: cool hair tint

Milano: cool hair coloring. Look very carefully at this photograph; can you see the subtle hair coloring? I love it; it’s so creative and discreet. Lara Aragno, director of communications for Romeo Gigli’s new company, Ioipseidem (which translates from Latin as “The me of always is never the same as before.”) wanted to change hairstyle, but having straight hair there wasn’t much she could do except cut it. She had the idea of tinting a perfect straight line of jet-black color at the bottom of her long hair, like a border to a skirt, like a cuff to a sleeve. It’s the perfect finale for a straight and original hairstyle.