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UN BATEAU POUR CAPRI

Un Bateau Pour Capri from Eau d’Italie’s founders Marina Sersale and Sebastien Alvarez Murena in collaboration with perfumer Jacques Cavallier

Let’s set things on the Amalfi coast in the 1950s and 60s—a time and place when travelers were smart, beautiful, and privileged, and every single ray of sun glancing off that gleaming Tyrrhenian Sea said “life is good.”

Impossibly perfect, you say?

Enter Un Bateau pour Capri by Eau d’Italie Le Sirenuse—it’s a liquid celebration of those well-coiffed, perfectly put together women and the oh-so-chic parties of yesteryear—part snapshot, yes, but gloriously embellished by the imaginings of time.

Certainly Un Bateau pour Capri contains a goodly amount of nostalgia with lyrical notes like peony, freesia, peach, jasmine, and musk. This is as it should be; in fact, the scent was conceived for Le Sirenuse’s 60th anniversary, but it speaks equally to the present—a fresh and unequivocal decree from our very own Eau d’Italie that life continues to be good.

EAU D’ITALIE: A SHORT FILM

AQUA CREATIONS

"9 Palms" chandalier by Aqua Creations

"9 Palms" chandalier by Aqua Creations

Our fabulous London-based Venetian architect, Alvise Orsini, has helped me select the most dreamy handcrafted silken chandeliers from Aqua Creations to illuminate both of my shops at Le Sirenuse. Aqua Creations is a small (and quite young) specialized company in Tel Aviv, producing innovative and highly unique lighting (along with some equally intriguing seating), ranging from incandescent organic globes (like our chosen “9 Palms” design, above) to fantastical ambient sea-creature-like shapes. As one might expect from such well considered and beautifully crafted design, the stylized forms of their lamps and chandeliers are as pleasing as the quality of light they produce, making Aqua Creations our lighting designer of choice!

My chandeliers are on their way from Tel Aviv as I write this, and it probably goes without saying that I can’t wait to see them installed in both of my newly renovated shops (which should be open to the public in only 10 to 15 days time!). I’ll be sure to post pictures when they’re installed!

Sirenland Returns

Sirenland

Sirenland Writers Conference at Le Sierenuse

Heralding the imminent re-opening of Le Sirenuse (April 1st), the Sirenland writers have come to stay with us, as they have for several years now. It has been a true joy to welcome this writers conference back to Positano, and to top it all off, we’re experiencing some unseasonably pleasant warm weather—an added pleasure after such a long and lonely winter!

At the core of Sirenland’s intensive week-long writing program is a two-hour mid-morning workshop taught by Dani Shapiro, Jim Shepard, and Susan Orlean, with a mixed-genre, fiction, and memoir curriculum. Afterwards, participants often set off to explore the charming village of Positano, and/or make day trips to nearby attractions such as Pompeii and Sorrento. Of course, there is plenty of time to simply relax, write, and swim at the lovely Le Sirenuse pool as well, or to luxuriate in our world-class spa.

Sirenland at Le Sirenuse - photo by Fabio Massimo Aceto, How to Spend It

Sirenland at Le Sirenuse - photo by Fabio Massimo Aceto, How to Spend It

Evenings are devoted to readings and discussions (not to mention some fine wine and dining!). Tonight, for instance, Hannah Tinti, editor and founder of One Story magazine, will give a talk about publishing. On Thursday evening, Tinti, Shapiro, Shepard, and Orlean will have an open conversation about the literary life. Michael Maren (Dani’s husband), an accomplished screenwriter, will be available to talk about screenwriting and all things Hollywood. Still on another evening, celebrated US-Iranian writer, Lila Azam Zanganeh, who is passing through Italy, will be reading from her latest book on Nabokov, entitled “The Enchanter, Nabokov and Happiness.”

The final evening is always a happy/sad affair, but we’ll all enjoy a beautiful dinner, with fond farewells until next year!

To learn more about Sirenland, Dani Shapiro, Michael Maren, Jim Shepard, Hanna Tinti and Susan Orlean, please visit sirenland.net.