Aristo’s bar in Barga Vecchia is tiny - no more than a corridor really but it is the unofficial cultural centre of Barga where Aristodemo Casciani has ruled supreme for more years than he cares to remember. He recounts to all who listen that he was brought in the bar, then owned by his grandfather, when he was still a babe in arms. If the shop got busy and she needed both hands to serve the customers his mother used to lay him in one of the large wooden drawers where the loose pasta was kept The place is in his blood and even though he retired a number of years ago allowing his son-in-law Marino to take over the helm, Aristo can still often be found in the bar recounting stories, playing his battered keyboard and whirling around, jabbing his finger in the air as a particular passage or phrase in the music touches his memory and sparks off another story from his past. Continue reading ‘Baccalà and beer at Aristo’s’
A bright fresh Sunday morning in Barga Vecchia with the bells from the Duomo ringing out across the city.The clocks going forward during the night added to that feeling that finally the winter really was over and the warm weather was on the way. Somebody added a touch of something slightly different to the proceedings this morning by setting up outside of Aristo's bar an old dusty but working record player and a battered folder containing a number of 45 discs. Continue reading ‘Silvano Togneri record collection’
The fourth article from Hamish Moore - the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga as artist in residence 2008 - I am now beginning to wonder when the door will slam - you know that old feeling:Its almost a barometer of how well things seem to be going and it brings to mind a song. Continue reading ‘Porti e Finestri - Aperta.’
For the second year running many residents in Barga took part in Energy Saving Day (last years event can be seen here) At Aristo's bar a rigorously acoustic only concert was put on just like last year but unlike last years candle lit affair they had this year put a new slant to the energy saving idea - Pedal power. Continue reading ‘Pedal power for Energy Saving Day’
As we almost get to the end of the year, what about a really quick article to keep you all occupied ? It's just too chilly out there today to go looking for news so how about this one from Aristo's bar this evening ? A fine mix of talented musicianship and bravado set against a backdrop of the humble hanging salami and unmistakable background smell of cheese. Some great clarinet along with guitar, mandolin and african drum. Continue reading ‘Clarinet and Salami’
An anonymous comment left on the website during the summer was part of the catalyst that has spawned a new feature on barganews. The comment lamented the fact that according to him or her, there was more to Barga than just the historic centre and so barganews should be publishing articles from further afield and not just articles on art exhibitions, jazz musicians and the goings-on at Aristo's bar. Continue reading ‘Marzocco sits and waits’
As we move into the second fortnight in October the seasons changes start to become steadily more apparent in and around Barga. On the mountainside around the city the trees are gradually moving through the scales of colours from green through to red (check out Daily Images from last week) In the city itself the sun filled piazzas of the summer are now gradually shrinking in size as the sun rises much lower in the sky and the shadows grow longer. Continue reading ‘Shrinking sunlight in the piazzas of Barga Vecchia’
As we already reported last month (article here) - as the winter approaches it is the time of year for the Traditional Cheese Rolling in Barga Vecchia. Forget about the dangers of bull running in Pamplona in Spain, for the unprepared visitor to Barga, there is far more risk of being damaged by a fast moving (and strong smelling) sheep's cheese hurtling down one of the narrow streets of Barga Vecchia. Continue reading ‘More Cheese Rolling in Barga Vecchia’
One of the great characters of Barga Vecchia celebrated his birthday yesterday. Natale Bertolini is now the proud owner of no less than 80 candles on his birthday cake.
A sleepy afternoon in Barga Vecchia. A few people sitting in the shade outside of Aristodemo's bar watching some of the visitors to Barga wandering around in the piazza. A perfect July afternoon - warm with a gentle breeze to kep the temperature down to a liveable level….and then in the space of two minutes all is changed. Enter Giuliano Nardi with his accordian and the temperature rises and the beat takes off. Continue reading ‘Tango at Aristos Bar in Barga Vecchia’
Today the 16th February is National Saving Energy Day in Italy where people trying out various systems that visibly show that they are attempting to save energy. This evening the lights that normally illuminate many national monuments in Rome and Milano will be switched off to "highlight" this attempt at saving energy on a large scale.Here in Barga, Aristo's bar (the real cultural centre of Barga) joined in and switched off their lights for the evening and instead turned to candle power to keep the dark at bay. Continue reading ‘National Saving Energy Day celebrated in style’
One of the regulars for many years at Aristodemo Casciani's bar was the outsider musician Silvano Togneri - more information about Silvano can be found here
Info : Please, resolve the addition below before post any new comment...
q-man : why should i count before shouting?
schifani : qualcuno mina il dialogo?!?
Guest_3535 : le quote rosa vere e proprie sono il numero minimo di donne che devono essere presenti in parlamento
doggybag : please note that the long discussion from sma has been moved to the forum - «link»
q-man : wwhat is "quote rosa"?
q-man : why?
jjcarde : datevi una regolata colle topate..
doggybag : Mop: Articolo sul barga: 7 = road+2 in spagnolo = barbuti ??
mopi : Articolo sul barga: 7 = road+2 in spagnolo......in tiendo?!? - soluz = viadoss (e so di morti..)
rhazz : bigal: vuoi toglierci la soddisfazione di leggere commenti come il tuo? Questo è il motivo principale credo ...
bigal : xchè a barga non si festeggia più il 25 aprile?siamo proprio nella terza era berlusconiana?
Guest_3691 : any local events???
Guest_3691 : anyone have info on events in barga mid june - mid july
filo : Buon compleanno Ingegner Ale Ciattini....Vecc hio Zimarro!
Frank : This news will bring profound relief to many, many faithful readers of one of the best sites on the web...
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Guest_4268 : Google message still warns of damage
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poetry : the world would never be the same
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doggybag : there is a good chance that we are coming to the end of the road here - 12 years of putting this stuff on the net is probably enough for anybody don't you think ? I am very, very close to shutting this site down
One of the regulars for many years at Aristodemo Casciani's bar was the outsider musician Silvano Togneri - more information about Silvano can be found 
