2014 November Monza News

Benvenuto International Club of Monza
MONZA NEWS
November 2014
November 2014 monza news 1
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Monza News
Editor
The Benvenuto International

Club of Monza
Melissa Saucedo
c/o Sporting Club Monza
338 938 6783
Viale Brianza 39
editor@benvenutomonza.com
20900 Monza (MI)

www.benvenutomonza.com
Assistant Editor
Webmaster
Gayna Clark
Irmi Sieber
webmaster@benvenutomonza.com
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Contact the editor
Cover photo: Personal photograph provided by

Jeannie Chisman
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1 November 2014 monza news
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The deadline for the Dec./Jan Monza News is the

1st of December, 2014.
Dec/Jan theme will be
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
itor
the Ed
m
o
r
f
r
e
t
Let
Dear friends,
The theme for this months issue is Living Simply

and Simply Living, which Im delighted to say,
struck a chord with many of our readers. The
outpouring of contributions was very impressive
and before I begin my small tale of trials and
tribulations, I just wanted to sincerely thank you
all.
Living simply is actually a difficult task that
requires a surprising amount of work! In my case
it meant asking myself to differentiate my wants
and needs. Which, in turn, lead to the donation of
THIRTEEN bags of clothes, toys, kitchen
appliances, you name it! How in the world did we
wind up with so much stuff?!? I was truly shocked
and quite sad. Im not proud to write this, but its
my truth.
Im happy to say that this had made me reflect on
how me and my family have managed to, not just
simplify our closets, but weve also created an
environment to unclutter our minds. My thoughts
have been clearer. Ive been more patient with
my kids and my husband says that Ive even
been nicer to him!
I hope that you, my friends, have also reflected
on the importance of simplicity in your lives.
Saying that, I will be leaving for Ikea shortly. Ive
heard that their Christmas decorations are
already out!
Melissa Saucedo
Monza
NEWS
ber
Novem
ADVERTISEMENTS....................................................3
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.4
ANNOUNCEMENTS .5
FILM LIST....... .......................5
NEWCOMERS............................................................6
PREVIOUS EVENTS .....7
CALENDAR........................10
BOOK REVIEW...................................11
MEMBERS ARTICLES .....................12
ADVERTISEMENTS..................................15
MEMBERSARTICLES ..............................................24
WOMB....................................................................25
MEMBERS ARTICLES .............................................26
RECIPES ...................31
ODDS AND ENDS .....32
BIRTHDAYS ..............33
GROUP ACTIVITIES...34
THE BOARD.................35
CLUB RULES & BABYSITTERS.......36
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS..............................37
Quote of the month
We are deeply grateful to Bolliger

International Movers for the
continuous support for
our magazine production.
The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most

about humanity, answered Man. Because he sacrifices
his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices
money to recuperate his health. And then he is so
anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the
present; the result being that he does not live in the
present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to
die, and then dies having never really lived.
FOR SALE:
Perfect condition furniture:
Bedroom furniture:
-one double size golden brass bed, with headboard and footboard Euro 350,00
-2 end tables in crystal and golden brass Euro 125,00/each
-5 door modern closet, plain ivory front on doors, and cherry wood sides and
inside, 4 drawers inside, Euro 600.00, like new, used very little
Living room furniture:
-3 seat sofa bed, recovered with the same fabric, so the underlying fabric is
brand new, double bed size, and cushions just restuffed. euro 450.00
-2 armchairs matching sofa bed, same description, Euro 150,00/each
1 square/rectangular (it can be lengethened) dining room table, black wood,
and 4 chairs grey alcantara fabric on the seats Euro 150.00
-1 black wood TV console, with 3 drawers, and 3 spaces below for books, abt 2
meters in length Euro 95.00
-1 computer table, black Euro 25,00
Prices, negotiable, depending on the number of pieces you buy.
Please tell me the pieces you are interested in and I can send you the photos by
email.
Contact:
NANETTE ZIMITSKI
335/807 8783 OR 039 688 9105 home
nanette.zimitski@porrofrancoint.it
letter from the president
Hello Ladies,
Well it's official, I am getting older !
I have actually become
interested in the weather
for reasons other than fashion
inspiration
Last week for me ended with a boat ride on
lake Como on a beautiful sunny day with visitors in 17 degrees and yet here we are this
week with the school run being an obstacle
course of winds blowing the autumn leaves
across the road and the rain lashing against the
windows. Such a huge contrast . Now I understand why the weather is such a source of conversation worldwide and across so many age
groups.
Of course, one of the best advantages of being
in Italy is the Style and fashion and the rain
seems to be a new trend for designers to bring
out collections with the most amazing wet
weather gear which possibly hasn't been too
important before with Italian mild weather. Suddenly when you go to the shops they are full of
unique umbrellas and rain boots known to us
Brits as "Wellies". Coming from the UK and living in Belgium, I used to dread the long rainy
months but not now. People watching has always been a passion of mine and to see the
array of coloured boots and raincoats is great.
Especially the dogs they have so many
shops selling mini versions of coats. Yesterday
I saw a pink parka complete with pink fur hood
on the cutest puppy. It always makes me smile.
Well November is so busy at Benvenuto and
we hope we have something for everyone. We
have the coffee mornings, photo contests,
dancing, visits by various speakers, Thanksgiving lunch, cookie making, games, the Xmas
market, book sales, the stunning Christmas dinner dance and, of course, all the normal monthly activities of groups too. It is all thanks to the
many organizers and volunteers so a big thank
you goes to them all. Please try to come to
some of these events as they are fun, enlightening and a source of company in these dark
winter months.
Next month is the now "infamous" Benvenuto

charity raffle. We have some incredible prizes
this year, including a generous holiday and the
baskets we all love. You still have time to contact Anna Vincentini with ideas for prizes or
baskets or even on details on when and how to
drop off your prizes. All prizes are gratefully received as the raffle is all for charity and we
have some lovely people relying on our support
and generosity.
Well I shall go and look after my sick daughter,
another down side of the mild weather is this
endless coughing that is going round my
house.
Maybe we can sit together under a blanket and
watch the Xfactor, it is good for my Italian language skills after all.
Have a great week,
Janine Davies
Cat Walk
Coffee Morning June 11, 2015
Announcements
Contact Anne Stubley for the location
Every Monday at 15.00, 18.00 and 21.00 (Except
where * 17.00 and 20.30).
For information: stubley@iol.it
Phone 039 671 359
www.monzacinema.it
M LIST
L
I
F
H
S
NGLI
DATE
FILM
Nov 17
BEGIN AGAIN
Nov 24
THE JUDGE
Dec 1
A MOST WANTED MAN
Dec 9
INTERSTELLAR
Congratulations to
Chiara Scudeletti and
Emiliano Brioschi on
the birth of their
daughter
Emma Brioschi
Born on the 30th of October 2014 and
For the rest of this Benvenuto year
BABYSITTING during coffee mornings is
FREE OF CHARGE.
Booking in advance is required.

Ivana Menegardo Develter
vicepresident@benvenutomonza.com
Newcomers
Kris Baron
(USA)
Meera Cameron
(Trinidad)
Valentina
Ledermann
(IT)
Daniela
Magnoni
(IT)
Elena
Marinoni
(Brazil)
Betsy Rosenbaum
(USA)
If you are a newcomer and have not seen your picture here, please contact Elda
Elvedese to have your picture taken
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION:

www.benvenutomonza.com
Previous events
ing
orn
Coffee M
h!
c
n
u
L
o
D
Lets
By
INDIAN
LUNCH in Milan
Erica Kees
We met at the Rangoli

restaurant in Milan where
Julia Waters and Janu Soner
had lovingly arranged for us
to meet and celebrate, which
simply means eating massive amounts of wonderfully
spiced food together. By
the way, Rangoli is a type
of folk art that is usually
made for the auspicious
holiday of Diwali and can
include flowers, petals,
birds, and other very
happy, brightly colored
patterns
(thank
you
Wikipedia!). We were
all entranced by the
aromas that were
wafting towards us
from the buffet room
and were eyeing the
quickest way to get
first in line. The menu
included pakoras (spinach and veggie fried delights),

samosas (nicely spiced potato stuffed dumplings), at
least 5 different kinds of
curries ranging from the
widely popular lamb, veggie,
chicken, purist dal, plus
Tandoori chicken. Of course
there was a lot of rice and
freshly baked naan bread to
sop up every last tantalizing
bite.
Dessert was a real
treat: coconut barfi (a
kind of melt-in-yourmouth bar of coconut
goodness - ok, I
shamefully admit that I
ate 4 of them!) along
with a delicate rose water and rice pudding called a
Kheer. Normally Diwali, this festival of light and love,
is celebrated over 5 days, but I, for one, would have
gained at least 10 kilos
if
we
had
done
that.
Thank you so
much Janu, Julia, and
the board for all your
hard work in putting this
event together!
Our condolences to Frances Girone on the loss of her husband

Carlo Girone who passed away on November 8th, 2014. Our
thoughts are with her and two sons and their families.
Monza Walk with Ester by Jeannie Chisman

I have to be honest and tell you
that I have never been a big fan
of the subject of History - until
now. Since moving to Italy 10
months ago, I have stayed
enamored with it's beauty,
history, and culture.
The
Monza Walk with Ester only
whetted my appetite for
learning this area's history even
more - it greatly exceeded my
expectations. Ester is humble
and will tell you that she is no "expert", but those of us
on the tour with her will tell you differently! We saw the
ruins of the Roman bridge
"Ponte d'Arena", near the
Ponte dei Leoni (Lions Bridge),
and also the Benetton house,
the Duomo, the Church of
Santa Maria in Strada, the
Arengario, and ended at the
church by the monument of the
painter, Mos Bianchi. Ester
told us many
historical
and fascinating facts
Marzipa
Monz
Previous events
a Wal
k with
Ester
as we toured
the Centre of Monza, and
I look forward to learning more
about Monza and it's history on
continued explorations with Ester of
the Teodolinda Chapel and other
sites we have yet to (but plan to!)
see. Don't miss out on the next tour
with Ester!
nM
aster
Sicilian Marzipan Master
Class
with
Anna
Class
Vicentini
By Jupy Honeycutt
I was fortunate to be
able to attend Anna's
Sicilian Marzipan Fruit
class at her bright and
welcoming home in
October. She gave us
the background of the
Marzipan Fruit in Sicily and how it originated with nuns
trying to impress a visiting Bishop. She patiently
instructed us on how to mold the marzipan, while we
(students) sat around her kitchen table. We shaped
the marzipan into various fruits, and then painted them
carefully with paintbrushes dipped in food coloring.
Anna provided the finishing touches, such as leaves
and stems so the edible fruit looked surprisingly real. I
couldn't wait to get home and show my children. They
devoured everything I had made (about 8-10 pieces)
the first night. I waited a few weeks, then made the
marzipan fruit with my three children. They loved it and
we plan to host a birthday party with Sicilian Marzipan
Fruit as the main activity soon.
(Photo on the left is
Meredith Calvaieris
first attempt at
creating marzipan
Previous Events
A big
en Party
e
w
o
l
l
a
H
hotots!
Welcome
p
e
h
t
f
o
for most
e
a
h
S
o
t
thanks
Trick
or
Treat!
BOO!
Upcoming Events
November 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
10
11
12
13
14
15
Coffee Morning Buy Christmas

raffle tickets!
Sign-up for
events and buy
tickets for
Thanksgiving
& Christmas
Party
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
10:00 Newcomers
Coffee at Dianas
12:00 Thanks- 9:30 BUNCO in 21:00 Vietnam

giving Lunch at Concorezzo
Talk at Sporting
Oppio
Club
10:00 Beauty
Treatment at
Sporting Club
23
24
25
26
27
10:00 Making
Cookies with
Irmi
10:30 Chagall
Exhibit
28
29
19:30 Christmas Party!!! At

Villa 900 in
Lesmo
30
BENVENUTO INTERNATIONAL
CLUB MONZA
At the Sporting Club Monza
Tuesday 18th November 21,00
MY VIET NAM
a lecture by
Enzo Falcone
a doctor from Milan, living and
operating
in Da Nang (Viet Nam) for
twenty years,
founder of the
ngo Care the people
(www.carethepeople.it)
Please note that if you are unable to attend a Special Activity for which you have paid, a minimum of 48
hours notice is required for cancellation but a refund cannot always be guaranteed.
Book Review
Reviewed by Alicia Quijano
This was a great read! Given its size (over 700

pages) I thought it would take me forever to read.
But the story was really engaging and I had a hard
time putting it down. Although some parts of the
story were very dark and bleak, the writing overall
was pretty brilliant. Even though the main character,
Theo, was not very likeable and made some pretty
bad choices, I was still rooting for him
and hoping he would get back on
track. I almost gave up on him in
Amsterdam. I really struggled through
that part of the book: not very
believable, dense, tiresome writing
but then Theos friend Boris saved it
for me.
Reviewed by Lisa Harding
Another aspect of the book that I

really enjoyed was its almost
Dickensian feel to it. I read several
articles and interviews where Tartt
mentions that she is a great fan of
Dickens and you can definitely see
his influence in the storyline and the
writing.
Reviewed by Rose Cartolari

First let me admit that I am a big Donna Tartt fan and I
LOVED the Secret History. I had been waiting with
great anticipation to read The Goldfinch.
The book starts off deliciously and completely
captured my attention. I really felt I had entered the
almost surreal world of Theo, the protagonist, as his
world is completely shaken to the core (literally!). The
first half of the book was addictive, with beautiful
writing and vivid characters all interwoven into a
captivating plot. But in the second half, or maybe even
the last third, the book starts to sputter as the plot gets
convoluted, sometimes bordering on absurd; the
characters become increasingly unpleasant and the
message grew a little too contrived for me.
In the end, the book has great moment and is written
beautifully. Tartt is certainly a storyteller with a great
perceptiveness to detail. But although Im glad I read
it, it did not meet my expectations and I cannot say I
loved it. Sorry!
It is difficult to write a review of a book about which

one has mixed feelings. Last summer I read The
Goldfinch after joining a book club, and although I
found the opening chapter somewhat confusing I was
entranced by the first half of the book. Books are often
described as gripping, and this is how I initially found
the characters and the plot of The
Goldfinch. My heart broke for young
Theo Decker when he lost his mother
and then struggled to cope with his
huge loss with almost no emotional
support. I was fascinated by the details
of the Barbours, the wealthy New York
society family of Theos friend Andy,
and then I was infuriated by Theos
selfish and cruel father.
Tartts
description
of
Theos
life
and
environment in Las Vegas was so
evocative that I felt like I could see the
action taking place on the page. I found
myself rooting for and wanting to know
more about the kind and gentle Hobie,
the only truly sympathetic character in
the book besides Theos mother.
After being completely engrossed in the book for its
first half, I began to lose interest shortly after Theo
reaches adulthood. There is a lot of drug use
throughout the book which Tartt describes in great
detail and, after a while, I found this repetitive and
boring. The plot becomes very complicated in the
second half of the book as it delves into the
underworld with a lot of shady characters and an adult
Boris, which was also not interesting to me. In the
end, I was no longer sympathetic to the character of
Theo Decker and I lost patience with him as he
continued to make bad decisions and engage in self
destructive behavior.
While the book definitely has
merit, I would have difficulty recommending it to
someone unless I knew their specific reading tastes.
For me, The Goldfinch is a book that begins with a
bang (literally and figuratively) and ends with a
whimper.
Next months book review will be

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Members Articles
A Pair of Socks by Rachael Martin
It all started with a pair of socks. Or rather a whole drawerful of socks and tights, and a niggling feeling that I
really could live without them. Books? No, definitely not, as every time I've pruned my book collection I've
inevitably regretted it and missed a book sooner or later. Socks and tights? Well, most of my remaining socks are
usually missing pairs so feel free to draw your own conclusions. Then came "babblement", a charming word
which features in Noah Webster's American Dictionary of 1828. Babblement, senseless prattle, unmeaning
words: I love it.
Milton uses it in his "Treatise on Education" when he speaks of those undergraduates "deluded all the while with
ragged notions and babblements, while they expected worthy and delightful knowledge". Of course you could
apply this to a lot of what we hear today, all these words flying at us from all corners, TV, internet, radio, facebook
and before we know it we're all twittered out and it's words words and more words in an eternal babble of noise
and colour.
Here is the white wall, empty and clear. After all, we do have a choice, and while we may choose to chase our
tails through life in some kind of mental tornado and flaunt our busyness as if it were a couture handbag, we can
also choose to slow things down. Just sit and breathe, and repeat. It's easy enough if you want it badly enough.
Simply living or living simply? Google it up and you'll find all number of blogs about decluttering your house and
living with minimal belongings. Switching off your phone and your computer one day a week and making your
bedroom a technology free zone all makes perfect sense. Cooking a meal to last three consecutive days so you
have more time? Isn't this all getting rather extreme? Of course, and this is all accompanied by lists of all the
things you can do with your newly-found time in your newly-decluttered home and life.
Strip it back and it's SIMPLE + LIVE or LIVE + SIMPLE. And for what? To have the time and mental space to
live in the present because before you know it your kids will be asking you for the car keys or you'll find yourself
retired. For as we all know life has this discomforting habit of speeding up when we would most wish it to slow
down and you're speeding round the race track at 350 km/h in a Ferrari that you feel like you don't really know
how to drive anyway when you'd quite happily bumble along at 40 km/h in a clapped out Fiat 500. Don't get me
wrong, I would love to drive a Ferrari, that sexy beast all hedonism extreme, but for daily purposes a Fiat 500 is
far more agreeable. Coast along, and savour those precious moments where life pares itself down and reveals
its essence, Woolf's famous moments of being when you feel yes, this is it, this is life, this is to live. This is the
moment you're lying with your child as he falls asleep and you drink in the touch of his hand on your cheek. This
is the moment you're sitting on the metro eating a punnet of raspberries and looking at the shape of the
raspberries and thinking how they look anaemic. Then suddenly all that's around comes into focus and reveals
the whole picture of this moment in time and of this time; people thumbing their phones and the ironic lack of talk
in a world overflowing with words, and the lady next to you muttering into hers in a language you can't identify.
Let it flow through your bones as you taste your raspberries and feel the force of the affirmation "I live". For life is
found in the bits between, and this is why Mrs. Ramsay will always be one of the greatest female figures in
literature. Quite simply, she affects others. Her simply being is her greatness.
Simply living, simply being, sooner or later it all comes to an end. The line is drawn and the work is complete but
what did it all mean? Of course, it would be great to be around at this point but as I can be certain I never will be, I
continue working on my home-made map based on a general belief in the good of mankind and love, love above
all, and if I can transmit that to my children then that is meaning enough. Otherwise we really are all just hurtling
along into nothingness, and what then?
Alternatively, the curtain falls and I imagine some Shakespearean fool running across the stage trilling "hey ho,
that's life". And wearing odd socks. Of course. The Fiat 500 is now parked up, and all the while the stars twinkle
in the background.
Members Articles
Book: Italian Ways by Tim Parks just a few comments from
Barbara de Savorgnani
Newcomers, and those of you who have been here for "yonks", might enjoy
reading Italian Ways. The author, Tim Parks, is an Englishman living in
Italy since 1981. He talks about things we've all known, been looking at or
doing, for years - like the similarity in railway station locations, their position
in relation to the town - near the centre (Monza, Venice), in a cul de sac
(Gorizia, Morbegno) etc., things I've known but never actually "put together". He tells us (but I
already knew) that the area stretching from Milan to Venice is the richest plain in Europe, but
there were quite a few tidbits of which I had no knowledge whatsoever, like the Modica station's
broken clock - enlightening me that in those days every area had its own time based on the rising
and setting of the sun in the area; I had never heard of this, nor did I find anything about it when I
googled it! It was only in 1866 that time became unified throughout Italy it was based on
Roman time even though Rome was not yet part of the kingdom, let alone its capital (present day
Italy is young!). All railway station waiting rooms had weighing machines with a measuring stick
attached so that people could check their height & weight - part of a Fascist push for health.
After Modica (southernmost station in Sicily) Mr. Parks left for the Calabrian town of Crotone. I
had never heard of Crotone! But it, too, had had its heyday: It was 20 times the holder of the
Olympic Games in the 4th & 5th centuries BC, second only to Sparta. It was a jewel of Magna
Grecia, the area populated by the Greeks twenty-seven hundred years ago - nowadays, Modica
is known as the site of one of Italy's worst toxic waste dumping scandals - 350,000 tons of zinc,
lead, arsenic, mercury etc.
Did you know that the Italian railways system was associated with early studies connecting
malaria with mosquitoes? At that time railway men north of Rome were constantly falling ill with
the disease, but someone, probably someone in a study program, had the bright idea of putting
nets on the open windows - this led to an immediate improvement in the health of the workmen.
Towards the end of the book, but still in the south there is a description of a train arriving, bearing
students homewards for the summer holidays from northern educational centres; the families are
waiting on the platforms - the descriptions conjured up scenes I have seen so very often!
Southern Italian families are well known for their close family attachments.
In the words of a Minneapolis Star Tribune journalist, the story is "relaxed, humorous,
meandering and charming." and I felt the urge to rush out and buy train tickets to follow in his
footsteps. Ill be looking for Parks Italian Neighbours at our next Book Club meeting.
UPCOMING COFFEE MORNING DATES

11 DECEMBER
15 JANUARY
16 APRIL
12 FEBRUARY
14 MAY
12 MARCH
11 JUNE
Members Articles
USEFUL ITALIAN WORDS FOR TRAIN TRAVEL
By Diana Testa
English (Inglese)
Italian (Italiano)
Where is..?
...train station
ticket
first class
second class
one way
round trip (return)
Just the supplement
Just a seat reservation
I have a Eurailpass
discount
track
train
departures
arrivals
information
left luggage
the bathroom
thank you
please
yes
no
Do you speak English?
I don't understand
How much is it?
Dov'?
la ferroviaria [or] la stazione
un biglietto
prima classe
seconda classe
solo andata
andata e ritorno
Soltanto il supplemento
Soltanto una prenotazione
Ho il Eurailpass
Sconto
Binario
Treno
Partenze
Arrivi
Informazione
deposito bagagli
il bagno
Grazie
per favore
Si
No
Parla Inglese?
Non capisco
Quanto costa?
Pssssst!!! Have you heard about the

Benvenuto raffle prizes???
TOP :1 WEEK OF VACATION AT ANY CLUB
MED DESTINATION IN THE WORLD.
TICKETS TO VERY FAMOUS TV SHOWS
(XFactor)
MEMBERSHIP TO THE SPORTING CLUB
DINNER CERTIFICATES
SCARVES,
JEWELERY
BEAUTY TREATMENTS
AND BASKETS FULL OF TREASURES!
DONATE, HAVE FUN AND MAYBE WIN!!!!!!!
Fratelli Meroni
Furniture
The International
Church of Milan
V. le VALASSINA, 42, Lissone

Via COPERNICO, 39, Lissone
Fratelli Meroni is a Family

business, established since
1960. Come to view
furniture for every room in
your house in our two
showrooms. Many leading
brands sold including
Scavolini, Dibiesse, Arflex,
Minacciolo, Jesse, Elica
and Bosch .
Bible
Study
at
Monza
Friday Mornings at 9:45. Would you like to learn

more about Gods word? Join us for womens Bible
study as we grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. We meet in members homes in Monza.
For more information, please call Claire Wroe at 039
327 775.
COME STUDY WITH US!

For further
information call
Giovanni
Meroni on
347 145 9748
(English spoken)
Discount for
Benvenuto
Members
The International Church of Milan is a Bible

believing, non-denominational, English speaking
church for the whole family.
We are now meeting at Viale Toscana 46/8, 20089 Rozzano (MI)
each Sunday at 17:30. Weekly Bible studies for men/women/
students are available.
For more info please contact
Jim at 349 766 9678 or refer to our website
www.icm-milan.org
The SMOVEY VibroSwing Advantages:

1.
Activation of 97% muscle structure = FAT BURNING
2.
3.
4.
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Strengthens connective tissue
Stimulates immune and digestive systems as well as metabolism
5.
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FOR WALKING EXERCISES RELAX TREATMENT
A HEALTHY CHRISTMAS PRESENT

(box contains a set of
smovey+DVD+booklet
in English)
Contact:
Renate Barzaghi, Cell 339 8030880, FB: smovey team monza
mail: info.smovey@gmail.com, martinorenate@fastwebnet.it
Work-outs in the Monza Park Bar Cavriga

Tuesday: 1112 am - Wednesday 1718 pm
or on request
80onza on re
Historical carpet shop in Monza

with new collection of handmade jewellery
Murano glass and unusual gifts
Join us for an aperitif

frIDAy 21st NoVEMBEr 6-9 p.m.
Just for you
20% gift voucher
on all purchases
Via Zucchi, 42 - MoNZA - handicraftloft@gmail.com
Handicraft loft
DoggyLand
Doggy daycare
You don't want to leave your furry friend alone all day?
Take him or her to the doggy daycare!
Doggyland's team will take care of him/her while
you're
Busy with lots of fun activities.
NO leashes and NO cages are allowed inside our
garden,
We want your doggies to be able to run and play free.
They'll also have the possibility to freshen up in the
Doggy-pool or exercise with agility obstacles.
Will also offer the availability of a vet twice a week,
By appointment only and we have a collaboration
With a grooming centre to offer an all inclusive service.
For more info:
-Paully +39 339 630 44 64
-Gigi +39 392 892 77 52
- doggyland@outlook.it
-pagina fb: doggyland snc
SELF DOG WASH, grooming centre

viale Lomabardia 172,Monza
3483120663
fb: self dog wash-monza
FAQs About Moving by Diana Testa
Members Articles
Moving is one of the most difficult things in life and lots of people get stressed by it because they have little
or no knowledge about the process. The key to success is to understand the relocation process. In the
middle of preparing your move, there are plenty of questions you may wish to ask the movers. The most
common ones provide the basic information that everyone should know before a move.
Here are some FAQ that will come to your mind when relocating. What are they and what are their
answers?
Moving Companies FAQ
How much will my move cost?
What is a quote and how do I get it?
How do I know if my movers are reliable?
What is the best time to organize my relocation?
When should I book the movers?
How much will my move cost?
How do you estimate moving costs?
Determining the budget you set for your moving will define when you will move, what you will move, what
moving crew you will hire, etc. That is why understanding what forms the cost of your relocation is so
important. There are several factors that mainly determine the cost of your move: the distance, the amount
and type of things to take and the services you want to use. This is what you need in order to be able to
estimate moving costs.
What is a quote and how do I get it?
A quote is an approximation of your moving costs. It is based on the several factors as explained above.
Once you give this information to the movers, they will answer back with information about the price of your
move. The more precise and accurate you are when providing information to the removals, the more
precise the estimate will be. The more detailed information you ask for, the better.
How do I know if I have hired reliable movers?
There are several details that you should be aware of before hiring removals: what is their moving
experience, what reviews do they have and what is their policy on losses or damages. Knowledge is the
key to avoiding moving scam. All these will surely help you get the best moving company. All you have to
do is keep yourself well informed.
What is the best time to organize my relocation?
The best time to move in terms of cost is the off peak season.
The summer months, weekends and weekdays tend to be more expensive because they are busier for the
industry itself.
The best time to organize your move depends of course on the first place on your own needs. When it
comes to moving cost, if you want to save on expenses you should avoid the peak times for moving when
most people relocate. These are the summer in general, holidays, weekends, and beginning/ end of the
month. This is the time when the movers are busier and they may place higher price for hiring. Always be
informed on the movers tariffs for the day when you want to move so that you wont get to pay more than
you have expected.
When should I book the movers?
Begin your moving organization as soon as you know you will be moving. Book movers as soon as you can
so that you have enough time to plan everything. If you contact a moving company in the last minute, they
may be already busy or charge you extra and you dont want any of that, do you? So, the sooner, the
better. Especially if you want to hire a more renowned company, you will have to contact it sooner..
What else do you need to know?
Besides the moving companies FAQ, stay aware of all the details of the move. Learn which question to ask
your movers as they will also assist you in defining which company to hire for your move. Asking questions
is very important as no single article can cover all the important topics of moving and give you complete
information.
Members Articles
BY SIMPLY BEING THERE IN GREAT SIMPLICITY
by Anna Bodini
A quarter of a century ago, our Monza Benvenuto club started off when a few ladies held regular
meetings in the comfort of our homes over a cup of coffee and a chat.
The strong desire to communicate in our mother tongue was indeed great. Very few people around us
spoke English then, and the Benvenuto club in Milan was far for most of us.
We did not expect anything, but the kindness and companionship we showed each other meant so
much and soon we felt drawn to each other by a spirit of mutual understanding and friendship that
encouraged us to make the first steps towards forming a club.
Kindness, need, drive, energy and intelligence are the foundations on which the club was built and it is
no wonder it has grown from strength to strength and become SIMPLY GREAT!
The club has welcomed so many ladies and has catered for a large variety of interests and needs and
has offered the possibility to share ideas, cultures and traditions, all simply and naturally.
Ladies that have come into the club even for short periods have felt free to express their potential, to
shift their understanding and perspective and to live the changes in their lives with more confidence.
Older members have made it their task to take newcomers by the hand and thanks to their experience
have helped others to match up with their new reality in a simple, natural way.
Caring and giving are two important simple words that characterize the club.
It is natural to suppose that we do have the odd person that floats in and out of the club just for personal
gain, but we can say that if the club has grown steadily through the years and is now so awesome, it is
due to the generosity, goodwill and caring that reigns and that has characterized it in the past.
What wonderful ladies I have met in the club! Most things that are now working full swing had a
simple, slow but steady start. Our first Monza News was a bare page of notices and simple messages,
black on white, typed out and copied with dedication, love and effort. What an achievement when we
added some colour and an extra page.
Our first bazaar was simple, far from the fancy, rich bazar buzzing with people and stalls we now have!
Our desire to stop waste and recycle goods probably triggered off the idea of the bazaar. Toys our
children no longer used, created the first toy stall of the bazaar. What hard work collecting, storing and
washing the toys, sorting out the puzzles, pricing and sellingbut what good simple fun, what
enthusiasm! So much generosity! Many toys left unsold were even donated to a local church for their
fund raising.
The best gifts we received when collaborating in these events were the friends we shared these
experiences with. They will never be forgotten.
So many charities have benefitted from simple events the club has invented to raise money.
How
fulfilled we feel when we work together for some special cause. It has been proved during the years
that simple actions and the right spirit can help achieve great results.
Modern life gets us bogged down and stressed at times. The many social activities of the club offer us
the opportunity of taking a break and simply letting go of the stuff that weighs us down.
In the clubs safe, friendly atmosphere we are encouraged to explore various hobbies like reading,
writing, walking, yoga, zumba etc. without great expectations.but for the simple fun of it.
A time for play and simple pleasure works wonders for us! By filling our lives with experiences that
bring us joy we feel enriched, relaxed and recharged and are then able to give some valid contribution
to those around us.so Benvenuto helps create a better world.simply!!!
As we start each new Benvenuto year it is wonderful to see us all focusing contributing and building on
to our club. It is not always necessary to do extraordinary things to achieve great things....but it is
important to put your heart in what you do.
It is indeed the unique, authentic, simple contribution of each person, often even by simply BEING
THERE, that makes this great club so special.
Members Articles
LIVING SIMPLY AND SIMPLY LIVING by Elda Elvedese
What an interesting topic, Melissa! Ive been at home for some days, simply living, i.e. eating and
sleeping, but just because I wasnt well.
Today I feel a bit better, so I also add meditating. The result of my meditation is that I wouldnt like
simply living. However, Id love to live simply, but I dont seem to know how to do it.
In the past I have tried to simplify my life, getting rid of things and distractions, and every year I make
the same (useless) promise to look for a less stressful, more efficient and peaceful life
So now, in the end, I think I will take my life like it comes, and try to adhere to the quote below by Lao
Tzu (Google Lao Tzu for more):
Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing
lacking, the whole world belongs to you.
WOMB
Yvonne El Masri (EG)
What was the most difficult moment in your life in your role as a mother?
Bringing up two girls on my own because my husband traveled a lot. I wasnt
working so I was lucky that I could follow them in their upbringing andent in
their lives, that is why I chose always to be a class representative at their
schools. So, I was constantly around and my husband was gone most of the
time. We saw him once or every other month.
The biggest problem was when my eldest daughter started liceo. Their
education was the most important thing for me and I saw my job as making
sure they completed their education and to attend university. My eldest
daughter decided to leave school even though she had only one year left to
finish liceo. She was having troubles with her teachers at school and she was
feeling so misunderstood. So I tried to convince her, but it was very difficult. I
was at such a loss. I remember calling her father at 2:00 in the morning
because this was the only time we could talk. It was difficult. My daughter had
a boyfriend at the time. I spoke with him saying that I couldnt allow my daughter to drop out of school and
keep away from during the week. Fortunately, my daughter Monica was a studious girl and wanted to
continue her studies but at home. However, I couldnt see how I could help her. Im not a teacher Im not
Italian. So, I decided to meet with the principal of her school together with all her teachers to try to resolve
this. We couldnt pinpoint whaut any further problems and went on to university. Her boyfriend, who
helped us both out thirty years ago, is now her husband.
I Then had the same problem with my second daughter! Having always to urger her on to study, I decided
to send her to the nuns! She hated it! But, I think I did well. She went on to Brera to study Set Design. During
this period my husband fell very ill and my daughter went through bad moments as a consequence and
decided she wished to give up Uni. This time, I met with the Rectoers after which things greatly improved
and she happily graduated from Brera.
I found it quite difficult because I was all on my own, but probably because I always had problems settling
down in Italy. Forty years is a long time, but now I couldnt be happier and the arrival of my grandson has
changed everything for me.
Is there anything you would change in the way you raised your two daughters?
No. In the long run all my friends and family say that I have two absolutely lovely girls. I would go through it
all over again if I had to. There are other things in my life I would change, but thats for another conversation.
Lastly, do you think you lead a simple life and what does that mean to you?
To live simply means to not go overboard with anything. I try to do what I can and take the most pleasure
out of it. However, I would get more pleasure if there was more sun. Regardless, my grandson gives me the
most pleasure. He has given me another lease on life and though he is still very small, I hope one day to be
able to tell him stories of my childhood and the land of Egypt.
Members Articles
Spring in Brazil by Cheryl Stockman
In July, when my
husband received an
invitation to his cousins
daughters wedding in
Brazil, I had no intention
of accepting. However
when he began saying
how he would really love
to show me this and that,
and how hospitable his
cousins had been when
he visited them with his brother, I decided to
apply for a visa. This turned out to be quite a feat
as they gave me an appointment for the 30th of
September! So I thought what possibility have I
got to get a visa in time to leave October 5. I just
knew there was no way I could get a visa
because the site specifically said it took from 5 to
8 working days.
Well, low and behold, we are friends with
the Lebanese Consul, who said he was an
acquaintance of the Brazilian Consul. I prepared
the papers but had no idea how antagonistic the
Brazilian government is toward American citizens!
To cut a long story short, I made three trips to the
Brazilian consulate and was made to wait until
everyone else had finished being received, even
though I had an appointment and a number. In
the end I spent 160 for a ten year visa for a 90
day stay every time I enter. Had I presented my
Lebanese passport and it would have cost me
20, though that was for just one entrance for a
30 day stay.
Then I lined up for the vaccinations - they
said I didnt really have to have them to enter
Brazil, but if I intended going to the States in the
next 6 months I would need the yellow passport.
So away I went to Milan to the international
vaccine center and got my yellow fever and
hepatitis shots, then, typhoid fever and cholera
medications, the last dose being taken the day
before we left. At this point I
was ready to go, and nobody
could stop me! Stand back
unexplored world, here I
come.
(Unexplored by me
obviously)
Its a very long flight to
Rio de Janeiro but I slept most
of the time, and after a night in
the airport hotel we took an early flight for
Salvador, Bahia. What a fascinating place!!
We stayed in the Convento do Carmo, built in
1580 or so, which is still partly convent, partly a
very luxurious hotel. I felt like I was in a movie of
the twenties, like Casa Blanca. The bar in the
courtyard had antique

couches, some in leather
and others in velvet. The
corridors
had
huge
wooden
doors
and
vaulted stone ceilings;
also the stairs were
stone, and worn from
centuries of use.
A
fountain the size of a
wading pool was set in the center of the
courtyard. Night starts arly, around 5.30 pm, and
lights are turned on and the fountain spouting
rhythmically with the music playing in the
background. The first evening we were a bit worn
so we ate in the magnificent restaurant of the
hotel where a pianist played for hours, and the
fountain did its light and water tricks. The food
was to die for, and the atmosphere both relaxing
and exciting.
The next morning we explored, taking in the
many colorful buildings and churches, some
restored but others in progress. There are so
many artists and different techniques to tell the
same stories of the
Brazilian people that
the
choices
are
embarrassing.
We
never left the upper
city, but got the most
out of the area by
enjoying
the
restaurants,
and
visiting buildings and
churches.
Next stop, Brazilia!! It was exactly the opposite of
Salvador. A modern architectural city built for the
central government, and with a very efficient
approach to the needs of visitors and all citizens.
Ramps were at every entrance and on every
sidewalk, not just once in a while, and every
single obstacle had a solution.
We stayed in a beautiful modern hotel - the
Royal Tulip Alvorado Hotel - next door to the
Presidents residence, Palacio de Alvorada, and
in front of the Vice Presidents residence, Palacio
do Jaburu, all on a peninsula in the lake of
Parano.
I was impressed with the parliament building by
day and the ideals the structure was built around;
the
executive
and
legislative
branches
represented by a huge cup facing upward, open
to the people and the judicial branch by a cup
turned downward to hold in law. By night it was
like a fairy tale transformation: white cement
Members Articles
buildings by day became pink
and orange monuments by
night. Of course, we saw this
on our way to eat at the Chao
de
Fogo,
a
chain
of
churrascherias we found in
every other city we visited.
We also visited the Tele
Tower, Don Bosco Church and
Native Museum aside from a full bus tour of the
city, about two hours long with stops to visit a
Cathedral and the Parliament Plaza.
Then, it was off to Sa Paulo, to attend the
magnificent wedding!! The first day was spent
between manicures and pedicures. Then, the
next morning was spent with the
hairdresser and make-up artist.
The wedding was held in the
center of Sa Paulo and the
reception was just around the
block. A mishap came about, a
car on the highway went up in
flames, causing a two hour
delay due to miles of blocked
traffic. The poor bride and
groom were on time but half of the 650 guests
were not. We waited in the church listening to a
live concert from the orchestra in the platform
above our heads.
After a 2 hour wedding ceremony, and a reception
that began at midnight, we were done for by 4Am
and returned to our hotel,
80km away, at Mogi das
Cruzes.
As for Sa Paulo, that evening
was all we saw because we
went to visit other cousins in
Susanno, an hours drive
away, where we delighted in a
bit of shopping after lunch.
How could we go to Brazil and
not raid the Havaianas stores.
The last stop was Rio de Janeiro. We stayed in a
hotel in the Ipanema area, which my daughter
said was one of the safer areas. Entering the city
from the airport we passed by Favelas that
seemed to have no end. For at least 45 minutes
we saw nothing else. The taxi driver explained to
us we should never wear jewelry on the street and
at night never show we have a cell phone or carry
a bag. We were told by
the hotel receptionist to
go out only with enough
money for the evening
and never to go onto
the beach after dusk.
We asked the taxi
driver to pick us up the
next morning to give us a tour of

the city.
He showed us the
promenade used for the Carnival
and we took pictures of ourselves
behind the wooden Carnival
costumes.
We told him what we wanted to
visit and he took us to all the
points of interest like the Pao de Acucar and
Cristo Re but he also took us to the Maracan
Stadium and thought we
might like to get out and
take pictures. He seemed
very offended when we said
we would pass.
Our last tour was to Ilha
Grande (Grand Island). This
began at 7.30 am. We took
a bus to Angra dos Reis from Rio de Janeiro,
which took about 2 hours. There we got onto a
boat and ate freshly caught shrimps grilled with
garlic and parsley and chips.
After about 30 minutes the boat stopped to let us
swim in the bay of Ihla Grande with beautifully
colored fish.
The water was chilly so most of the passengers

preferred to just sit around on the beach. I swam
most of the time but I did take a walk to the end of
the beach where a yacht was anchored.
When the boat came back to shore and we were
all accounted for, we ate a hefty lunch of fish or
chicken while we travelled to the next destination.
After about 40 minutes of travel we arrived to a
tiny church perched above another beach, where
some people swam again, but I didnt feel it was
wise after a full lunch at those temperatures.
Our last day we had a nice lunch after taking a
tour of the small lake near Rio but we didnt make
it up to the Cristo Rey, although we did see it from
afar several times. Then back to the airport
through the same Favelas.
The contrasts are many in such a huge country,
we found most of the people very proud but there
is much work to be done on many social areas.
Brazil is one of the fastest growing economies.
Lets hope they find a way to curb their social
problems.
Members Articles
The Special Olympics by Anna Bodini
The Special Olympics tennis team is proud to share the
photograph taken in Barcellona during their enriching
experience there. (1st and 2nd November 2014.)
It is thanks to the generosity of the Benvenuto Club that the
Italian athletes were able to represent Italy in the 1X JOCS
SPECIAL OLYMPICS CATALUNYA -Barcellona/CALELLA 2014.
The A.S.D Circolo Tennis Monza athletes who participated are
Alberto Meroni, Matteo Cattaneo Citterio, Paola Lazzarini and
Stefano Taccone, together with the coach, Giancarlo
Molgorac. The Italian delegation was led by Carlo Lazzarini.
The photo shows the team with one of the volunteers who assisted them during their stay.
They wish to thank our Club members for their invaluable contribution, and give a special thanks to LISA
HARDING for her dedication and the special care she gave the athletes.
The matches took place in the Municipal Tennis Centre Vall d'Hebron.
Special Olympics is a Worldwide organization that started about 45 years ago, thanks to its founder Eunice
Kennedy Shriver.
The next International Special Olympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2015, 21 July to 3 August.
Paola Lazzarini from the Monza Tennis team has already been invited to participate in this event, and it is
expected that 114 Italian athletes will participate..
Special Olympics Italia ONLUS has already started a campaign, known as adopt an athlete, to support teams
or individual athletes.
For more info, see fundraising@specialolympics.it & www.specialolympics.it
The motto of the Special Olympics athletes is.... CHE IO POSSA VINCERE MA SE NON CI RIUSCISSI, CHE IO
POSSA TENTARE CON TUTTE LE MIE FORZE
That I may win....but should I not manage to do so, then I will have tried to do so to the best of my abilities.
EVENT: INSIEME PER VINCERE

Teatro Manzoni Monday 24th November
World Day Against Violence Against Women
Sport is a very effective tool for combating gender-based violence, particularly violence towards women. A
cultural change is needed, and Sport breathes the culture within which it is rooted.
An athlete is first of all a person, then a citizen of the world; an athletes talent represents a gesture of universal
value. Sport, being a vehicle of value, can teach tolerance, and can promote compliance with rules, offering
commitment and subordination of personal interest to the community.
Together with Insieme per Vincere, the FIDAPA BPW Italy (Monza Brianza Division) has set itself the goal to
promote dialogue, encourage respect for others, and endeavor to bring understanding among people. Priorities
are the defense of their divisions and others freedom, both cultural and artistic sustainability and respect for the
truth!
Every year, on the 25th November, on the occasion of the World Day against gender-based violence we try,
through Sport, to raise public awareness of the knowledge of fundamental rights, the fruitfulness of education
that can lead to legality and respect among young people.
By Raffaella Corti Ruffinoni
Members Articles
The Wolf You Feed by Rose Cartolari
Every year as we near Thanksgiving, I try harder to focus my thoughts on gratitude and kindness. I always feel a need to step
back from my daily worrying, fixing, yearning, striving to change what doesnt work in my life. This time of the year, I often think of
the The Wolf You Feed, an old Cherokee Indian tale:
One day a Cherokee grandfather was telling his grandchild about a battle going on inside of people. He said, My son, inside us all
there is a battle raging between two wolves. One is evil: anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt,
resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness,
benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The grandson, after thinking about it for a minute, asks which
wolf wins? The old Cherokee replies the one you feed.
I am struck by how much, as humans, we focus so much on all that is missing in our lives, on what we want but dont yet have. How
much energy do we spend on self-improvement? On fixing ourselves? Smoothing over our rough spots? How much good does it do
us to spend so much time on who we arent rather than who we are?
Of course we all have areas we need to work on, and personal growth is critical for meaningful and fulfilled living. But, usually, we
tend to be harsh task masters with ourselves. We are often quick to criticize, not forgive or concede one inch. We tend to nit-pick
every little detail. And, paradoxically, this only results in increased stress, anxiety, tension, negativity self-doubt.
Perhaps worst of all, we dont even achieve the results that we want. Studies in the talent and leadership development arena show
that the larger headways in growth and excellence come about when people expand their strengths rather than fixating on their
weaknesses. In other words, we will be more likely to get the results we want when we focus on what we have, what our goals are
and get to work! (And frankly, even if we dont get the results we want, being positive means that we are living a happier life, so we
feel better)
Seems simple, doesnt it? Beating ourselves up leads to the permanently dissatisfied place of never enough whereas
compassion, gratitude and understanding lead to peace.and on purely practical terms: better results. So why dont we always
focus on the positive?
Its that little ingrained wolf in us that is now a part of our goal-oriented, efficiency driven culture. Human beings are hard-wired to
look for whats missing. But the search for what ifs often robs us of the what is. Please dont get me wrong, I am not suggesting
that in life you always have to be happy and cheerful all the time. Sad, stressful things happen all the time and it is natural that we
react. I am only saying that we can, with a great deal of dedication and practice, learn to control and be in charge of our attitudes
and approach to ourselves.
We can choose which wolf we feed.
After
our
fun
Welcome Lunch, I
asked our lovely
President if I could
have some of the
Halloween dcor that
was to be disposed
of so that I could use
it for the Halloween
display at First Steps
in English, where I
teach. Together with
another staff member
and some students at the school, we put together
the spooky Halloween display. Thank you to the
board for the contribution
- Jeannie Bisanti
GREAT NEWS for

TROLLBEADS FANS
SPECIAL OFFERS FOR STARTERS AND
ADD-ON CHARMS
TROLLBEADS DAY
FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER
from 10:00 to 19:00
at
PAVAN JEWELRY SHOP

VIA PERGOLESI, MONZA
Recipes
SUGARLESS ORANGE AND SULTANA CAKE
I found this recipe in the book Delias Frugal Food I
bought at the Benvenuto Bazaar. It looks easy to make
and the title of the book reminds me of this months
topic.
INGREDIENTS:
75g margarine or butter

150ml sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, whisked until frothy
175g self-raising flour
110gr sultanas/raisins
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange juice
Melted lard or butter
melted fat.
Place the butter or margarine in a bowl and beat

until softened.
Beat in the condensed milk, followed by beaten
eggs.
Fold in the sifted flour, sultanas, orange zest and
juice.
Mix thoroughly and spoon the mixture into the tin.
Bake for 1 hour, or until the cake shrinks away
from the side of the tin and is nicely risen and
browned.
Turn the cake out on to a wire rack and leave it to
cool.
Enjoy!
Elda Elvedese
Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.

Line the base of a round 18cm cake tin with
greaseproof paper and brush the paper and tin with
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream

Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 20
Bake time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 cups flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
teaspoon ground cloves
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
cup brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
for the frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon cinnamon
teaspoon vanilla
heavy cream
In a medium bowl combine flour, ginger, cinnamon,

cloves, and nutmeg and whisk to combine. In another,
larger bowl cream together butter and sugars until light
and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and molasses and mix
until smooth. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Fill
each cupcake liner full. Bake 20-25 minutes until a
toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on wire racks.
For the frosting, cream together powdered sugar and
cream cheese until smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla and
heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired
consistency is reached. Spread frosting on completely
cooled cupcakes and allow frosting to set up for one
hour. Store in airtight container. Sprinkle with
cinnamon and granulated sugar, or powdered sugar if
desired.
Notes
*This recipe calls for NO leavening agent. No baking
powder or baking soda. This is CORRECT. DO NOT
add a leavening agent.
**For the frosting, the above recipe is for enough
frosting to spread on each of the cupcakes. If you want
to pipe the frosting, double the recipe and when
adding the heavy cream, add less than you would to
spread the frosting. The shape holds up better when
the frosting is thicker. Also, before piping the frosting, it
may help to allow the frosting to set up for a few
minutes and "dry out" a bit. This will help it hold it's
piped shape.
Recipe adapted from cookbook "Martha Stewart's
Cupcakes".
Instructions
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 175 C or 350 F and line muffin tins

with cupcake liners.
Melissa Saucedo
Odds & Ends

A non-toxic DIY hand
sanitizer
about staying away for unnecessary germ

spreading. (this is why we stay home when we are
sick). I also believe in being clean.
A mix of essential oils

meant to keep away the
germs!
Ingredients
5 ounces of aloe vera
gel*
1 ounce of witch hazel
4 drops orange essential
oil
4 drops cinnamon essential oil
2 drops of clove essential oil
2 drops of lavender essential oil
However, as a culture, we have turned our fear

into a bad thing. We want to kill all the germs, all
the time.
Instructions
Mix all ingredients into a container and shake until
well mixed.
*Note: Make sure you check your ingredients
because sadly, aloe gel is not always just aloe
gel. You want a pure one.
Tip: For a squeeze container, look in the travel
section at your local grocery store or even Ikea to
find the poerfect sized ones there for next to
nothing.
Recipe by Delicious Obsessions at http://
www.deliciousobsessions.com/2014/09/diy-non-toxic-handsanitizer/
Im going to say something that is going to make

me sound terribly old, but Im going go for
it.when I was in school I had never heard of
hand sanitizer and I lived to tell about it.
People are constantly using bleach wipes to

clean, sterilizing everything under the sun and are
heavily using antibacterial soap and hand
sanitizer.
While none of those things are horrible on their
own, the fact of the matter is that while doing this,
we are not building up natural immunity and we
are killing off our good bacteria! We dont just use
soap, we use antibacterial soap and sanitizers.
Antibacterial
soaps
and
cleaners
often
contain Triclosan. Triclosan is an ingredient that
has been proven to alter hormones in
animals. Studies are still being done to see if it
produces the same effect on humans to determine
its safety. Id rather not take the chance as we
already face so many things that negatively affect
our body.
So, whats a person to do?
Good news! There are natural alternatives to
keeping the germs away, while not killing your
immunity!
This is one of the areas where I really think
essential oils shine. They are effective, non-toxic
and when used in proper dilution, cost effective.
The mix of oils used here are antibacterial, anti
fungal, and antiseptic. Perfect for killing whatever
you, your kids or your grandkids may get into
without the harmful chemicals.
While this happens to be my favorite mix, feel free
to play around to find a scent that works for you.
Phew. Okay, now that I got that out of the way,

lets go on!
From www.deliciousobsessions.com
Our culture has become fearful of germs. That

doesnt sound too bad, right? It really isnt. Im all
Melissa Saucedo
Enjoy!
You think English is easy?

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more
refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture..
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
7) They were too close to the door to close it.

8) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
9) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a
tear..
10) I had to subject the subject to a series of
tests.
6) I did not object to the object.

Y
HAPP
Y
A
D
H
BIRT
Date
Name
Date
Name
NOV 15
Arianna GIANOLA
NOV 25
Susan EDICK
GIANFERRARA
NOV 15
Zizeth MAROUN
DEC 2
Helma REINA
NOV 20
Claire WROE
DEC 6
Anett ROISZ
NOV 20
Teiko IKEDA-PERNA
DEC 8
Raffaella CORTIRUFFINONI
NOV 21
Ivana MENEGARDODEVELTER
DEC 8
Tatiana REZENDE
DEC 11
Inge ARMBRECHT
NOV 23
Grazyna DINICASTRO
NOV 24
Joan-Claire GOTTRAUX
MEMBERS CLASSES
Contact Details
Information
Class and Times
Venue
Janu Soner
Cell: 3482610278
Home: 0392305215
janusoner@hotmail.com
Get strong, flexible, focused, balanced and in

shape with YOGA, a more
holistic
approach to
your physical fitness.
Yoga 1 (Gentle Yoga)

Wednesday 9.30am
Sporting CluB
Call/email for more info or

to book for a free trial
class!
Isabella Ranieri
Info: 333 6921877
Isabella.ranieri@alice.it
Rachael Martin
Cell: 338 5213 716
Yoga 2 (Dynamic Yoga)

Wednesday 11am
Friday Yoga (Free Spirit)
Friday 10am
Academy Dance and Fitness,

Via F Cavallotti, 18, Lissone
As above
PLACES AVAILABLE!!!
Dancer and Zumba
instructor.
Zumba classes every TuesFri mornings 10:00 11:00
Come and join us for a

fun fitness party that will
get you moving and
healthy! Zumba! Let it
move you!!!
@NG DANCE school

Via Schiaparelli 6
Villasanta
Mother-tongue English
teacher with experience
in all levels and ages.
To be arranged
To be arranged
ONE TO ONE and

GROUP ENGLISH/
ITALIAN CLASSES
adults, children and
teenagers
to be confirmed
Monza area
rachael_martin@yahoo.co
m
Diana Testa
338 9788281
diana_testa@hotmail.it
If you are a Benvenuto member and you wish to advertise your private classes, please contact the editor.
The monthly contribution is Euro %.00
GROUP ACTIVITIES
Activity
Contacts
Tel & email
Meets
Venue
Cost
BOOK CLUB
ONE
Barbara de
Savorgnani
039 200 6664

333 4931 018
barbianne@fastwebnet.it
3rd Thursday every

month,
10:00 to 12:00
Cindy Brizzis home
Annual book
cost 15
BOOK CLUB
TWO
Anne Stubley
039 671 359

stubley@iol.it
Usually 1st Tuesday

every month, 10:00 to Anne Stubleys home
12:00
Annual book
cost 20
READING
GROUP
Anne Stubley
039 671 359

Stubley@iol.it
Once a month
14:00 to 16:00
Members home or at a
bar
free
WRITING
GROUP
Anna Bodini
Twice a month
Usually at the Sporting

Club
Free
Anja: 339 393 0492

anja.bollhof@gmail.com
Every Wednesday,
10:00 to 12:00
Cold/rainy weather: Crivi

Bar, Vedano al Lambro. Free
Sunny days: Parco di
Monza (exact location
tbc)
MOMS NIGHT
Gayna Clark
OUT
gaynaclark@hotmail.com
Once a month
Different restaurants
MONZA
WALKERS
Cindy Brizzi
039 321 284

cindy@brizzifamily.com
Every Monday,
9:15
Bar Cavriga, Monza Park
No charge
FRENCH
SPEAKING
GROUP
Ivana Menegardo
039 647 962

Ivanamenegardo @yahoo.fr
La renconte avec les

francophones est
mensuelle.
n/a
n/a
Free
PARENTS &
TODDLERS
Anja Bollhof
Anna: 039 608 2896

annamurabitobodini@yahoo.com
ENGLISH
SPEAKING
GROUP
Laura Panzeri
039 6064 698

laura_rol_818@hotmail.com
Thur of Coffee
morning immediately
Sporting Club please
after meeting, and
contact Laura
Thur 2 weeks later at
14:30
MONDAY
ENGLISH
MOVIE
Anne Stubley
039 671 359

Stubley@iol.it
Every Monday
afternoon
n/a
n/a
GERMAN
SPEAKING
GROUP
Ute Pastorelli
Wiechern
Ursula
Accordino
Ute: 039 367 397

ute.wiechern@teletu.it
Ursula: 039 920 5461
cicciono.uschi@alice.it
Every 1st and 3rd

Thursday
15:00 to 17:00
Sporting Club Lounge
Free
LANGUAGE
EXCHANGE
Marisa
Cerizzi
039 249 6967
Every Wednesday,
10:00 to 12:00
Sporting Club
Free
NEIGHBORHOOD
NETWORK
Vimercate
Anna Bodini & Anna: 039 608 2896

Gabriella
Gabriella: 039 685 0808
Mapelli
gabriella.mapelli@live.com
First Thursday of the

month - please
contact before
La Camilla, Vimercate
Free
BOARD
benvenuto monza
President
RS
BE
MEM
Janine Davies
331 54 24 443
president@benvenutomonza.com
Ivana Menegardo-Develter
338 53 54 240
vicepresident@benvenutomonza.com
Vice President
Zizeth Maroun
Sushil Penuti
320 31 43 665
treasurer@benvenutomonza.com
039324083 / 3409168552
secretary@benvenutomonza.com
Treasurer
Secretar
Eleonora Litta Durban

347 22 44 927
Membership
@benvenutomonza.com
Julia Waters-DeZordi
338 23 97 850
specialactivities@
benvenutomonza.com
Membership
Special Activities
Anna Vicentini
Susan Edick-Gianferrara
348 87 12 329
392 16 05 714
publicrelations@
newcomers@
benvenutomonza.com
benvenutomonza.com
Newco
Public Relations
Charity Co-Chair:
Melissa Saucedo
3389386783
editor@benvenutomonza.com
Editor
Marina Lambrechts
Honorary Members:
Barbara De Savorgnani
CLUB RULES
The Benvenuto International Club of Monza
welcomes English-speaking women from all over the world
and fosters international fellowship through its various
activities. A monthly Coffee Morning is the Clubs principal
social function. The Club is non-profit, non-denominational
and a-political. English shall be the official language of the
Club. All work performed by the Board and its committees is
done on a voluntary basis.
Membership:
The membership year runs from September through June of
the following year. The Membership Fee for current members
is due and payable no later than the October Coffee Morning
of each year. A full years Membership Fee is payable by new
members until February at which time new members pay
one-half of the Membership Fee. For any questions about
membership contact the Membership Director.
Name Badges:
Name badges are supplied to each member to be worn at
each Coffee Morning. If Members forget their name badge
they will be required to pay a fine.
Guests:
Members are welcome to bring a guest to one Coffee Morning
to introduce potential members to the Club. The same guest
is only allowed to attend two Coffee Mornings and the
Christmas meeting per year. The Guest Fee is 4. All guests
will be given a nametag to wear during the meeting.
Commercial Sales, Logo, Directory, Members Services:

No commercial sales are permitted at Club functions and
neither the Benvenuto Club logo nor the membership
directory is to be used for any commercial purposes. For a
contribution, members providing goods and services are
invited to post advertisements in the Monza News.
Babysitting during coffee mornings:

Children are not allowed in the big hall in the Sporting Club
where the monthly meetings are held. This is due to the
Insurance and the requirements of the Sporting club itself.
Babysitting is offered during coffee mornings, please contact
Ivana (vicepresident@benvenutomonza.com) to book Baby
Sitting. For the
moment this service is free of charge if you
book in advance.
BABYSITTERS
From
Name
Language
Telephone
Transport
Carate Brianza
Camilla Riva
EN
036 299 3953 or 338 459 8262
Own
Cosetta Riva
IT, GER, EN
362 993 953 or 335 620 2887
Own
Albiate
Erica Callisaya Vela
IT, EN, ES
320 481 3559
Own
Lissone
Sujanika Elvitigalage Dona
IT, EN, ES
338 4735 895
Own
Macherio
Sara Valtorta
IT
338 247 5082
Own
Monza
Giorgette Savy
IT, FR, EN
039 380 816
Own
Daphne D'Amato
IT, EN, Dutch
346 628 1605
Own
Mileth Hernandez
IT, ES
327 291 5270
Own
Stefania Candurra
IT
347 645 0884
Veronica Sormani
IT, EN
039 973 1025
Own
Wendy Hodgson
IT, EN
3407969829
Own
Giulia Milan
IT, EN, FR
3392071971
Claudia Ghilardi
IT, EN
3803458183
Francesca Barzaghi
IT, GER, EN
333 678 1489
Josy Arcaya
IT, ES, EN
329 073 3910
Sylvia Malnati
IT, FR
348 244 2570
Own
Genevieve Sumiller
EN
3884426131
Elizabeth Sabado
IT, EN
3450121809
Own
Maria Castro
IT, EN
3896488867
Own
Arianna D'Onofrio
IT, EN,Greek
0392496666, or 3468336219
No
Vedano al Lambro
Disclamer: This list of babysitters have been produced for information purposes only and the club takes no responsibility for the qualifications of
these babysitters. However, all these names have been provided by members who have used their services.
Emergency Services
Free Call Numbers (Numero Verdi)

These national emergency numbers can be reached from
pay telephones, without the use of a phone card or money.
Telephone
Service
Emergency Service Ambulance
(Pronto Soccorso) - www.118milano.it
118
National Police (Carabineri)
112
Local Police
113
Fire Brigade (Vigili del fuoco)
115
Forest Fire (Incendio boschivo)
1515
Car Breakdown Assistance

(Soccorso stradale)
Emergency Doctors (Medici Volanti)
116
In Case of a night-time health problem that is not serious enough

for the Hospital Emergency room service, but needs to be attended to quickly, call: EMERGENCY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
Guardia Medica
National Call Number:
840 500 092

Recommendation*:
Listen to the recording (in Italian) and wait for an operator on the
line.
If you dont speak Italian, ask for someone who speaks English.
You have to give them all of your personal information: name,
address, telephone number and the description of your illness.
Ask if there is a doctor who speaks English or your language.
They will have a doctor call you back in the next hour (usually
faster). The doctor will tell you, if they need to make a house visit
or if you should to go to the nearest GUARDIA MEDICA. They
will give you the address of the closest one to your location.
The visit is usually free of charge. House visits may be different.
This service usually works very well for a quick diagnosis or to
resolve a problem, and to obtain a prescription to go to the
pharmacy.
7733
Emergency Numbers for Lombardy
24-hour Pharmacies (chemists) in

Lombardy
Pronto Farmacia
Tel: 800 801 185
Numero Verde
The Pronto Farmacia helpline helps people to locate an open

pharmacy in Lombardy. It also assists those in need of urgent
prescriptions and general information. The service is available 24
hours a day.
Every pharmacy is obliged to display a list of pharmacies open at
night outside their door. The pharmacies open at night must keep
their sign illuminated and the bell visible.
For further information:

http://milan.angloinfo.com/information/31/em_no.asp
http://www.aslmonzabrianza.it/
*Many thanks to Marilena Nigretti, a Benvenuto Member
and local pharmacist, who provided much of the information presented here. Marilena has a Pharmacy
(Farmacia Trevisan) in Usmate-Velate and she speaks
fluent English.

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Benvenuto International Club of Monza

November 2014 monza news 1

The Benvenuto International

c/o Sporting Club Monza

338 938 6783

20900 Monza (MI)

Advertising in Monza News

Cover photo: Personal photograph provided by

The Monza News is sponsored by Bolliger

Members can also join the facebook group by

The deadline for the Dec./Jan Monza News is the

The theme for this months issue is Living Simply

Quote of the month

We are deeply grateful to Bolliger

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most

November 2014 monza news 2

3 November 2014 monza news

letter from the president

Next month is the now "infamous" Benvenuto

November 2014 monza news 4

A MOST WANTED MAN

Booking in advance is required.

5 November 2014 monza news

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION:

November 2014 monza news 6

We met at the Rangoli

included pakoras (spinach and veggie fried delights),

Our condolences to Frances Girone on the loss of her husband

Monza Walk with Ester by Jeannie Chisman

November 2014 monza news 8

9 November 2014 monza news

Coffee Morning Buy Christmas

12:00 Thanks- 9:30 BUNCO in 21:00 Vietnam

19:30 Christmas Party!!! At

This was a great read! Given its size (over 700

Reviewed by Lisa Harding

Another aspect of the book that I

Reviewed by Rose Cartolari

11 November 2014 monza news

It is difficult to write a review of a book about which

Next months book review will be

November 2014 monza news 12

UPCOMING COFFEE MORNING DATES

13 November 2014 monza news

Pssssst!!! Have you heard about the

November 2014 monza news 14

15 November 2014 monza news

V. le VALASSINA, 42, Lissone

Fratelli Meroni is a Family

Friday Mornings at 9:45. Would you like to learn

COME STUDY WITH US!

The International Church of Milan is a Bible

November 2014 monza news 16

The SMOVEY VibroSwing Advantages:

Activation of 97% muscle structure = FAT BURNING

Vitalizes more than 100 million body cells

Improves lymphatic system functioning = detoxification

A HEALTHY CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Work-outs in the Monza Park Bar Cavriga

17 November 2014 monza news

November 2014 monza news 18

19 November 2014 monza news

November 2014 monza news 20

Historical carpet shop in Monza