WHY DO YOU LIKE AND COLLECT MATCHES?
Since I was a child I’ve always collected everything I found while traveling (hotel keys, business cards, magnets etc.). Collecting matches came certainly at a proper age, and now, every time I find myself in a hotel or restaurant the question “do you have some matches?” comes automatically. I love the wait to find out what kind of matches will come to me, what shape they will be, if they will have a photo or just the logo of the place on it, if the head of the match will be in a particular color. So collecting matches is an experience, from the moment they bring them to you to the moment you enjoy them at home, reminding you of the place, trip, and the people you were with.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ONES AND WHY?
My three favorite ones are from three of my favorite cities in the world; Rome, New York and Paris. The ones from @almoroma, which is a famous old style Roman restaurant, where I always went with my father, and where I eat one of the best pasta called “spaghetti alla Moro”—which is a revisited carbonara. Right next to the Trevi fountain, in the summer there are lovely tables in the outside and in winter the inside of the restaurant reminds me of a mountain retreat. A special place in every season. The iconic @santambroeus matches, I just need to look at them and immediately imagine that I am sitting at the bar tables watching from the window Madison Avenue, eating the best sugar cornetto and cappuccino of my life, and just sit there looking at all the people who walk in; from teenage girls about to go to school, to a woman who is late for work, all in a hurry, but not giving up on their breakfast. A sacred moment of the day. @lecafedeflore, besides loving the phrase written on the matchbox “Rendez-vous au..” which means “meet me at”, I love this café in Paris because it makes me think of my mother and grandmother, who every time they were in Paris together, they went there for lunch. And when I go and think of them there, eating my croque-monsieur, it just makes me happy.
WHEN AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO ENJOY YOUR MATCHES?
I am very possessive of my matches, so I have to say that I really never light them up or use them, but I try to always get duplicates so I can use those without wasting the originals. I like to look through them most of the times and remember of the various trips I made, the restaurants and the hotels and people with whom I went to all of these places. A real blast from the past.
