News from Le Virt�

Dear Friend,

We announce an exhibition of Le Virt� staffer Kateri Likoudis' Abruzzo photography, the return of the Abruzzese folk group DisCanto and our plans for our outdoor "Campo"garden space remodel.

Sincerely,

Francis Cratil

le virt�

IN THIS ISSUE

Photographer Kateri Likoudis in Abruzzo:...exhibition at Le Virtù

DisCanto returns: live folk music from Abruzzo

Our "Campo" garden remodel

Photographer Kateri Likoudis in Abruzzo: Exhibition at Le Virt�

Saturday, April 13th; 1-3pm (with a brief performance by the Abruzzese folk group DisCanto); admission is free.

If you've been receiving these newsletters for a while or following us on Facebook, then you're probably familiar with the photography of Le Virt� staffer Kateri Likoudis. Kateri's work eschews manipulation, posing and pretention. It extracts the emotional feel of an image or place, seeks to capture a little of its mystery and soul. This approach serves Abruzzo well.

In March 2012, Kateri accompanied us (Chef Cicala, Cathy and me) to Abruzzo and documented our itinerary in the region's mountainous interior and along its southern coast. The photos created an evocative portrait of a region quietly living its ancient traditions. We produced a book from those images, Roads to Tradition: Le Virtù in Abruzzo, and used part of the profits to support Tratturo Magno, an Abruzzo-based cause dedicated to preserving the region's pastoral way of life. That fall, Kateri returned to Abruzzo on her own, working for a time at an olive farm near Fossacesia and then wandering the region with new Abruzzesi friends, including a member of DisCanto. She kept a photo record of her travels.

We've long been fans of her work and think it high time that we celebrated it at Le Virt�. So, on the afternoon of Saturday, April 13th from 1-3 pm, we'll be hosting a show of her photography at the restaurant. All the images will be for sale, with profits going to the artist. Chef Cicala will provide some stuzzichini (Abruzzese finger foods), we'll offer complimentary wine and the folk troupe DisCanto will be on hand to provide some appropriate music (this they offer to Kateri, whose black-and-white image of a darkened medieval street in the village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio adorns the cover of their new CD Allùmeme la vi'.

Kateri's work will hang for the entire month of April and selected prints will also eventually be available for purchase through our website.

DisCanto returns: live folk music from Abruzzo...

It's our enormous honor and pleasure to help bring DisCanto, authentic folk music from Abruzzo, back to the United States for the 8th time. The band will be playing venues throughout the Philadelphia area, including their third appearance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday, April 19th.

DisCanto explodes preconceptions about traditional Italian music. The group reinterprets the folk songs of Abruzzo's farmers and shepherds using modern and traditional instrumentation. The band is a four-piece and features guitar, cello, violin, accordion, organetto, tamburo percussion (much like an Irish bodhran) and zampogna (the Italian bagpipe and traditional instrument of Abruzzo's shepherds). The songs are sung in dialect and reflect the influences that other cultures have had on the region (e.g. Arabic, Gypsy and Balkan). Themes range from lullabies to spite playfully directed at landowners to chants meant to chase off the mall'occhio ("evil eye"). The music is varied, vibrant and infectious

The members of DisCanto have become our fast friends. Their knowledge of the region's culture and history informs our visits to Abruzzo (where they are often our hosts and guides) and their performances at Le Virt� remind us of why we opened the restaurant. They renew our commitment to our mission and fill our little trattoria with the spirit and soul of the region.

Discanto 1

DisCanto will also provide live music at photographer Kateri Likoudis's show of Abruzzo images at Le Virt� on Saturday April 13th from 1-3 pm). The band will also play a full concert at the restaurant onThursday, April 18th at 6:30. The concert, which will be followed by a 4-course Abruzzese dinner with wine pairings, is $120 (excluding tax & gratuity). DisCanto will perform an intimate concert for a maximum of 30 guests; in keeping with Abruzzese tradition and the spirit of the occasion, we'll serve dinner at a communal table. It promises to be an unforgetable night for lovers of Abruzzese music, cuisine and conviviality. Menu details will follow shortly.

Le Virt� will also be teaming again with our favorite New Jersey patisserie, The Sweet Life Bakery in Vineland, NJ on Saturday, April 6th ($30 per person with all proceeds going to the band; limited seating; call 856-692-5353). We'll provide some finger foods and wine and the brilliant folks at The Sweet Life will offer artisanal pastries.

We will also be on hand to provide support and translation at events from Chestnut Hill's Mermaid Inn (April 3) to Dorothea's House in Princeton, NJ (April 7). DisCanto's full concert schedule is as follows (contact individual establishments for start times and prices):

Weds., April 3 - PHILADELPHIA (PA) - The Mermaid Inn

Thurs., April 4 - GALLOWAY (NJ) - Richard Stockton College
Sat., April 6 - VINELAND (NJ) - The Sweet Life Bakery
Sun., April 7 - PRINCETON (NJ) - Dorothea's House
Weds., April 10 - NEWARK (DE) - University of Delaware
Fri., April 12 - PHILADELPHIA (PA) - PSALM Salon, 5841 Overbrook Avenue -
Sat., April 13 - PHILADELPHIA (PA) - XFS house concert

Thurs., April 18 - PHILADELPHIA (PA) - Le Virt�
Fri., April 19 - PHILADELPHIA (PA) - Philadelphia Museum of Art

Our "Campo" garden remodel

If you've been to Le Virt� or our end of the East Passyunk neighborhood lately, you've noticed that we're doing a little work in our garden. While it might look a mess now, it's part of an exciting reimagining of the space by our East Passyunk neighbors Urban Jungle that we think will make for one of the city's most singular green dining spaces.

The work will be phased in over the next few months but as of April, the "Campo" will feature extensive natural landscaping on all its borders as well as a pergola made of reclaimed wood. Our hanging herb garden (originally installed by Urban Jungle), will remain. Future additions include a fire pit and a rustic fountain as well as some exciting audio-visual components.

We'll use the garden for al fresco dining and outdoor events (barbecues, concerts, etc.) and believe that the new verdant space, overlooked by the beautiful mural dedicated to Abruzzo by Brian Senft of Philadelphia Mural Arts, will be an asset to our East Passyunk community, where we also make our home.