Patrician Doors

This building in Valenzano, in the province of Bari, Italy might have been, long time ago, the home of a wealthy family. A split pediment with a family crest over the balcony is an indication a patrician family lived there. The main entry is a classical Italian “portone” entry with curved top and a pillar on each side with two simple caps. The corner entry was an expensive feature of a building then, just as much as it is today in any country.

This town is quaint and quiet, I visit it every time I go back to Bari my home town and still wonder who lives there.

Valenzano, Bari – Italy

This is Palazzo Mincuzzi in downtown Bari, Italy. The building is located in Via Sparano, the most expensive shopping street of the city, it is at the same level of Via Margutta in Rome, Via Montenapoleone in Milan or Fifth Ave in New York.

The Mincuzzi Family commissioned the project that the architect Aldo Focignano’ built between 1926 e il 1928 as one of the first commercial architecture of the XX century. Here again, a corner door of an expensive building that became a landmark of the city, makes a grand enty.

Unfortunately, a few years ago, the administrator of the city decided to eliminate all the beautiful palm trees that lined both sidewalks and provided refreshing shades in the heat of the Summer. Via Sparano now in the morning is blinded by the sun, drenched in heat of over 40 C. (100+ F) and is not a friendly place to stroll and window licking.

Dan Antion offers an opportunity to learn about doors in the world with his Thursday Door Challenge. This is my participation for today’s challenge. Ciao,
Valentina
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Copyright © 2022 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved


Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

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Historic Doors

How many times do I get to see a historic building in the US? Hardly ever. The country is so new that has not yet had the time to grow old, make history and memories. In fact, I heard that when a building reaches 50 years of age, it goes down like dust. This past weekend I went to an art festival on the streets of Redwood City, a quaint town in Northern California and while walking around I noticed a few buildings designed in a classical style architecture. The Fitzpatrick building got my attention for its round shape over one of the entries, I thought it was a loggia above, but in reality, it is a turret with windows and a dome on top.

Redwood City, CA

Fitzpatrick is certainly not an American name. It seems it is a surname of a native Gaelic-Irish origin person with the Norman French Fitz as a prefix.

Redwood City in 1868 was a shipping port for all the industries present in the area. During the great earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco, the Fitzpatrick Building survived with minimal damage and for safety reasons, the dome was temporarily removed.

I love to see a plaque with a date.

The second entry of the Fitzpatrick’s building

Beautiful Ionic columns and decorated pilasters visually support a secondary entry. It must be pleasant working in this business building and be part of history, even if I think that the daily routine of those who work there, does not give much space to the imagination or to the realization of spending most of their days in a beautiful building that still stands after 112 years and that perhaps was part of many vicissitudes. I know that feeling, I studied fashion in a building 400 years old.

I hope you enjoy my findings and my participation in the Thursday Door Challenge organized by Dan Antion. Ciao.
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

Copyright © 2022 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Gossiping By Ancient Doors in Polignano

Across the pond, on this side of the world, we network in offices, pubs, and various social places to talk about business. In Italy, networking is about neighbors and families coming together, to sit at the doorsteps of someone’s home to enjoy a bit of time out from daily chores, not to engage in talks of business.

People meet outside their homes, in the street, or in a courtyard to talk about their problems, challenges, kids, life in general and gossip about someone they know is the practice of the day. Each person brings a chair, no need for an appointment, no need for a schedule, nothing is planned, and whoever shows up will be the support or the leader of the conversation at that moment.

Men, women and often kids show up at these daily meetings with the neighbors. Kids play with kids the usual soccer in the streets, chasing a ball from corner to corner, men talk to other men or play cards and women stay with the women. There is always an exchange of food and drinks, nothing complicated to prepare, local snacks, homemade focaccia bread, pretzels, olives, cheese, fruits and nuts, accompanied with wines or beer, just to keep the conversation going.
This is an ancestral society where everyone knows the rules and their own roles.

Women in Polignano a Mare, Italy

Doors in this part of the Mediterranean seem to be built the same way, they follow the orderly classic style of architecture, travertine arches, usually with a keystone in the center, pillars on both sides and heavy metal or wood doors with a horseshoe or lion head doorknocker.

Polignano a Mare, Italy
Private courtyard in Polignano a Mare, Italy

When doors are not that great, courtyards, exterior stairs and balconies are made up cute and cozy. Courtyards attract tourists and visitors for their simple beauty. These are private little areas, where the locals living there meet to be social and of course help each other in case of need.

I am participating in the Thursday Door Challenge hosted by Dan Antion

Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

Copyright © 2022 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved


Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel. Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

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