Archive for 'Culture'
Una Mela al Giorno Posted by Serena on May 16, 2010
A couple of days ago Geoff (mio marito) was chatting with some of his friends in the piazza about sayings (detti) and proverbs (proverbi). They ended up by trying to make a list of Italian equivalents for well known English sayings and vice versa. Here, for your entertainment, is the list so far: una mela…
L’Italia in Cinque Parole Posted by Serena on May 9, 2010
Cari Lettori, molto spesso noi Italiani ci chiediamo: ‘come vedono noi e il nostro Paese gli stranieri? che figura facciamo? quali sono le caratteristiche che ci distiguono?’ Dunque, vi voglio chiedere un po’ di aiuto. Vorrei che sceglieste cinque parole chiave o brevi frasi che secondo voi meglio descrivono l’Italia! Dear Readers, very often, us…
Santa Zita da Lucca Posted by Serena on Apr 26, 2010
Every year on the 27th of April Lucca celebrates the life of its most beloved patron saint, Santa Zita, with a spectacular floral tribute. For the occasion, Piazza dell’Anfiteatro (an oval shaped medieval piazza built over the remains of the Roman amphitheatre) hosts a flower market, where azaleas and rhododendrons, with their incredible shades of…
La Pubblicità Posted by Serena on Apr 17, 2010
A few days ago we went to visit a friend who lives in the little hilltop town of Vezzano Ligure. Wandering down the main street, we noticed a hand written sign that someone had put next to their cassetta della posta (mail box). It read: "Siete liberi di lasciare la pubblicità consapevoli che verrà usata…
La Primavera di Vivaldi Posted by Serena on Mar 29, 2010
È giunta la Primavera (spring is upon us), and to celebrate her arrival what better way than by listening to Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni (the Four Season). A few days ago we had the pleasure of going to a great performance of this famous piece of music at Il Teatro della Rosa, a beautiful little…
Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare Posted by Serena on Mar 8, 2010
It’s time to pause my series of ‘Gesture of the Day’ blogs for a moment (yes, don’t worry, there are more to come!) and move from il profano al sacro (from the profane to the sacred) in order to commemorate La Festa della Donna (International Women’s Day), which is celebrated here in Italy and in…
Gesture of the Day – 2 Posted by Serena on Mar 4, 2010
Continuing my theme of ‘body language’, here, for your entertainment, is another colorful and expressive Italian gesto (gesture): ‘Che Palle!’ (what balls!) An expression of annoyed boredom. So, once you’ve done a few warm up exercises and loosened up those limbs we can begin: 1. Place both hands slightly in front of you at hip…