Our friends in Perugia

The Relationships of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association

by Ian H. Caruana

The Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association (SPSCA) is all about relationships. Both in Seattle and Perugia, an incredible group of people have found one another and created a bond and a bridge across the world. The people of Perugia are the reason we gather, they are the reason we celebrate, and without them we have no relationship.

On my recent trip to Perguia, I met so many of these people and I want to share with you a bit of who they are and why they are so important to us in sisterhood.

Spadolini Family

Alice, Michele, Riccardo, Eleonora, Catia Spadolini

Catia and Riccardo Spadolini live a few minutes outside of Perugia in the rolling hills of Umbria in a 16^th century restored villa situated on a hill looking out over the beautiful countryside. Villas, churches, olive groves, and vineyards encompass the view from their perch on the hillside, making it one of the most romantic visions of Italy I have ever experienced. The villa and compound are home to several family members and each of the clan is interesting in their own rite. Their daughters Eleonora and Alice are very welcoming and hospitable and Michele, Alice’s son is as charming as a young boy could be.

When spending time with these lovely people one never runs out of topics for conversation. They have hosted many of our association members into their home for dinners or given them tours of their city, taken them for un caffe or un gelato. The generosity of the whole family is given out freely and without reservation. They are a prime reason to visit our sister city. I, for one, am willing to travel halfway across the world to spend another evening with them celebrating life over food, wine, conversation, and friendship.

Rossella Vasta

Michele, Rossella, Benedetta Vasta

Rossella is in fact the most interesting woman I have ever met in my entire life. If I were to say of Rossella that she is an accomplished artist, business woman, and instructor I would only be offering a preliminary description of her valuable qualities. She is an extraordinary woman and member of our association.

I met Rossella at a meeting in Deruta at the L’Antica Deruta regarding the soon to be installed Alviero Morretti Foundation’s donation of contemporary ceramics here in Seattle.

Instantly I was captured by the spirit of this fascinating woman. She seems to ooze talent, inspiration, and intelligence and has a personality much larger than her tiny frame. She is for me bigger than life.

Spending time with Rossella means experiencing life to its fullest, as she is a mover and a shaker who is perpetually on the go. If that were not enough she is an exceptional chef! I had the opportunity to work with her preparing a dinner for 30 guests and found her skill in the kitchen as impressive as her other many talents.

If you know Rossella, you will meet many others as well. She is quite gifted at gathering people together and orchestrates others to network with a passion and a purpose. I sit back and wonder how I was so lucky to have met Rossella and thankful she is a member of our association.

Daniela Borghesi

Daniela works for the Comune di Perugia managing the affairs of the six sister cities of Perugia (Seattle and Grand Rapids, Michigan in the USA; Aix-en-Provence, France; Potsdam and Tubingen in Germany; and Bratislava, Slovakia).

Daniela Borghesi and Lauretta Vagnetti

For ten years, Daniela has committed herself to furthering relationships between Seattle and Perugia. She has been involved in organizing events, visits, and cultural exchanges from art shows to film festivals. Hours, days and weeks spent working out details, handling reservations, creating pamphlets, and orchestrating new ideas - all in the name of sisterhood.

Daniela and her co-worker Lauretta Vagnetti make the mechanics of our sister-city relationship work. They keep the momentum going when others are resting between commitments. She is one of the unsung heroines of our SPSCA and I hope more of you can one day meet this lovely and most talented member.

Elisabetta Valentini

Elisabetta Valentini

Many in the association have been fortunate enough to meet the president of the Perugia side of SPSCA - Elisabetta Valentini (Miozza). She, her husband Maurizio Miozza, and three children (Allessandro, 15; Giula, 11; and Matteo, 3)  have lived in Seattle for a little over two years due to Maurizio’s work. We all now have the advantage of her experience, friendship, and knowledge on Perugia - her town and home. How lucky we are that her family came to the sister city of Seattle.

Without Elisabetta it would be very difficult for our association to function as well as it does. She is a talented language teacher and Seattle-area students enjoy her teaching style and effectiveness as an instructor. She is already famous for her kind, funny, witty and gentle nature, but one must not be deceived by her gentle kindness for she is a savvy, intelligent woman who is very powerful in her own rite.

Elisabetta and her business partner/friend Roberta Torgerson have changed the face of our association with their hard work and talents. Currently Elisabetta has spent endless hours orchestrating the installation of the ceramic collection called “Un Calice per Alviero” (A Chalice for Alviero). She has worked both in Seattle and Perugia making the show donated by the Moretti Family and Alviero Moretti Fondazione happen. Elisabetta and Roberta organized the performance of Chiara, the beautiful opera singer from Perugia, earlier this year in Seattle. How blessed we in Seattle are to have Elisabetta with us for this window of time.

Thankfully while I was in Perugia, Elisabetta and her family were also at home in Perugia for some holiday time away from Seattle.  I met Elisabetta and her charming son Alessandro in the center of Perugia for a gelato and visit. It was one of the more enjoyable days of my time in Perugia. We ate, shopped, and enjoyed a caffe. Later, she introduced me to some very important and talented artists, including my newest and dearest friend Rossella Vasta. Perugia is Elisabetta’s home and she and Alessandro have a wealth of information to share with others - and they are generous enough to share it freely.

Elisabetta is just one more reason we have a successful sister city relationship with Perugia and another reason it is important to continue our work together. These wonderful, smart, giving people from Perugia make our lives here in Seattle fuller and more complete.