Girasole

L'ho comprato al mercato sabato in anticipo del rientro del Nostro Inviato da Messico (lui c'era rimasto un'altra settimana per lavorare).

Un girasole sapeva dargli il benvenuto!

Fioravanti è libero

Non so, forse perché preparavo per il viaggio in Messico, non avevo letto che Valerio Fioravanti ora è totalmente libero.

Ho letto "A Mano Armata" due volte quando vivevo a Firenze, e la vicenda dei latitanti e la strage del 2 agosto mi hanno sempre affascinato.

Lui, comunque, si ritiene innocente, ed infatti vuole indagare un po' per conto suo sui fatti della strage di Bologna.

Incredibile. E' libero.

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/09_agosto_03/fioravanti_spazi_per_lavorare_sul_processo_61b27502-8037-11de-bb07-00144f02aabc.shtml

Viognier

Sometimes a backlog builds up at Ciambellina. This is one of those instances.

We drank the bottle you see above quite a while ago, after Il Nostro Inviato was in Milan and visited a wine shop that sold vino sfuso.

Vino sfuso is bulk wine that has not been pasteurized so it does not participate in Italy's wine certification system (DOC and DOCG, for example).

This is not quite what you'd find in your everyday wine shop! And I highly recommend it!

We quite like after dinner drinks, as you may have surmised from my tales of drinking carafes of vin santo in Siena.

But generally what I want is something that's like wine, not a shot of Jagermeister! This bottle of Viognier really hit the spot.

The wine shop in Milan where he bought the vino sfuso -- La Vineria -- is on Via Casale in the Navigli section of Milan, which is a cool, gentrifying area of the city that's centered around an old canal.

The wine shop, which vigorously defends bulk wine and calls pasteurization and other standard wine processes unsafe, has received attention from lots of magazines in Italy. You can visit the shop's Web site here http://www.la-vineria.it

You won't need to buy bulk wine to try Viognier. For example, the Viognier grape shows up in traditional bottled wines in the Northern Rhone region of France.

So get out there and try it!

Appena tornata da Messico....

Ciao ragazzi!

Sono appena tornata da Messico e ora con il rientro, ho un sacco di cose da fare ecco perché inserisco pochi argomenti questo mese.

Però brevemente vi vorrei far vedere la foto quassu'.

Almeno nella città dove stavo io (che si chiama Queretaro), i Messicani vanno pazzi per la cucina italiana!

A Queretaro oltre a tacos, potete facilmente trovare la pasta, la pizza e il gelato (si vede una gelateria nella foto).

Io non vi posso dire se ci riescono o meno -- ho mangiato solamente la cucina messicana!

Ma mi ha fatto piacere vedere che la cucina italiana è tanto populare in Messico quanto in USA.

Vespa-with-sidecar Watch

Troppo ganzo!!!

The owner of this tricky scooter lives in my neighborhood, I am proud to say.

Vespa Watch -- Sesto Fiorentino (FI)

A photo of my friend Fabrizio on a Vespa at his home in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence.

Classic!

Ringrazio Ilaria per avermi mandato la foto. Mi ha fatto davvero sorridere!

Divertitevi in Puglia! Quanto sarebbe bello esserci con voi.

Regalino -- note cards

Guarda qui!

Ciambellina, I guess, was a very good girl because she received the above note cards as a gift and it's not even her birthday!

Can you beat Vespa note cards that say "Ciao Bella!" -? No!

What's great is, I almost bought these cards a few weeks back, but decided I should save my money!

You like them? Il Nostro Inviato bought the cards at Barnes and Noble bookstore (you can also find Cavallini brand cards online).

Lavazza from Amazon.com

I bought Lavazza from Amazon.com for the first time this month, and it seems to work pretty well.

I usually buy Italian coffee from Whole Foods when Il Nostro Inviato has not been to Italy for a while.

Each package cost $5, and as you can see, it comes in a four-pack. $5, even for Crema e Gusto which is usually cheaper here, is a very good price. My Whole Foods does not stock this variety so I cannot compare prices.

Anyway, this is certainly one way to skin a cat.

Tifosi per AC Milan vivono ad Atlanta!

Va bene, AC Milan non ha vinto la partita contro Club America (una squadra messicana, la quale ha vinto 2-1) che ebbe luogo in Atlanta ieri ma tuttavia era una serata molto divertente e movimentata.

Eravamo in 12 nel nostro comitato e ero veramente incuriosita dal numero di tifosi ad Atlanta. Cioe, la gente che indossava maglie di AC Milan (c'era una ragazza, chiamiamola Ciambellina, che indossava una maglia della Fiorentina, ma lasciamo perdere).

C'erano anche persone che indossavano maglie di altre squadre, tipo la Juventus e Inter. Non credevo che gli americani seguissero calcio in modo di poter conoscere le squadre, e persino con risultato che volevano comprare le maglie! E poi 50,000 persone sono venute a vedere la partita. Cavoli!

Ora ti faccio vedere le altre foto che ho scattato:


Forza Milan!


Chiaramente Ronaldinho e' molto amato persino ad Atlanta! Qui i suoi tifosi bevono una birra ad un locale accanto allo stadio.


Spero che AC Milan o un'altra squadra italiana venga l'anno prossimo a giocare qui in Atlanta. Per una serata, era come andare allo stadio -- in Italia. Bello!

Going to see "Il Divo" tonight at Landmark Cinema

The Italian movie "Il Divo" has finally arrived in Atlanta and I'm going to see it tonight with an Italian Meetup group.

The film is about career politician Giulio Andreotti who like a cockroach survived everything that came his way, including an extensive trial accusing him of collusion with the Mafia.

Here's a link to the New York Times review (permalink not working):

http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/movies/24divo.html?scp=3&sq=Il%20Divo&st=cse

Toni Servillo landed the title role of Andreotti, and it will be the second time in a year that I see Servillo in a key role. What a treat! (He was in "Gomorrah," the film about the Naples' mafia.)

I will report back to Ciambellina on my impressions. But whether I like it or not, I'm just happy to have the opportunity to see two Italian films in one year at a movie theater near me!

AC Milan stasera in Atlanta!

_MG_0940-35.jpg
Inserito originariamente da JMaloney

Io e Il Nostro Inviato andiamo a vedere una partita tra AC Milan e Club America stasera ad Atlanta.

Anche se molto probabilmente sarei tifosa per la Fiorentina, AC Milan gioca stasera e allora dico Forza Milan!

Amarcord -- the beer (Menabrea, too)

Found this lovely little Italian craft beer at Hops City in Atlanta.

Until a year or so ago, I didn't even know the Italians made craft beer! But indeed they do. And Hops City, a beer emporium that's opened on Atlanta's Westside, stocks quite a few types.

I picked Amarcord Speciale Bionda because it was not high in alcohol. I know high gravity beers are all the rage but I just find them too alcoholic. And of course, I've seen Fellini's film "Amarcord," and I love it!

Buying this beer, I get to read the word "artigianale," which has a lovely sound and a lovely meaning. It means more or less 'craft' or 'craftsman-like,' and is used to describe anything made by hand or made the old way or in small batches. Someone who makes something artigianale is an artigiano.

Here's another beer that's turning up in Atlanta restaurants and supermarkets (Kroger....non ci posso credere!):


This beer reminds me of all the times I've ordered "una birra chiara alla spina" at bars in Italy.

I've had Menabrea at Top Flr in Midtown (Atlanta) and Baraonda on Peachtree St. (though they had sold out of it Saturday when I was there).

It's a good beer!

But how was the Amarcord? I don't know! I'm waiting for Il Nostro Inviato to open it (since he's the real beer-drinker in our house).

In fact I held off on posting the photo because I had not tried it yet. But I just didn't want to wait any longer -- not while you could be buying it yourself and enjoying it.

Cin cin!

Bocce in USA, il 4 luglio

I nostri amici qui ad Atlanta hanno organizzato un torneo di bocce per festeggiare il 4 luglio, il nostro giorno di independenza. E' stato il sesto torneo di fila.

Ecco alcune foto!


La squadra vincente ha vinto $300! Incredibile, no? C'era, credo, una ventina di squadre. 

Come vi ho detto prima, giocare a bocce va alla moda ora qui!

Bocce in USA

Yes, si gioca a bocce anche in USA.....

Infatti, giocare a bocce negli ultimi anni è diventata un'attività ricercata fra i giovani che abitano nelle grandi città. È di moda!

Qui faccio vedere una partita ad un locale vicino a casa nostra. C'è sempre una folla di gente intorno alla pista. Ripeto: giocare a bocce va alla moda!

Sapete di già che odio gli anglicismi che si usano in Italia. E faccio di tutto per far vedere che qui in USA siamo altrettanto ossessionati dalla cucina e cultura italiana.


Se leggete il blog, avrete visto tante foto di motorini -- ormai si va in motorino qui perché vogliamo imitare VOI!

Finalmente noi Americani abbiamo cominciato a mangiare con un'occhio alla stagione e i suoi frutti, sempre con l'idea che voi in Italia be siete esperti e se noi vogliamo mangiare bene, dobbiamo adottare le vostre usanze.

E sì, giochiamo persino a bocce!

Program director job open in SIENA

There are some GOOD jobs available for folks who know Italian and want to help American students find their way around Italy. Here's the latest:


Job: Siena Resident Director

The Siena Resident Director (RD) is responsible for CET’s History of Art and Italian Studies in Siena program, in addition, to other small specialty programs managed by CET in Siena.

CET Academic Programs is a private study abroad organization. Based in Washington, DC, CET has been designing and administering educational programs abroad since 1982. CET is well-known for its innovations in the field of study abroad. Our programs emphasize high academic standards, innovative approaches to teaching, and careful student management.

The RD serves as CET’s primary liaison for the programs and coordinates communication between the other staff members, students and/or faculty.

The RD handles all non-academic issues, such as housing, meals, activities and excursions. However, as program axis, the RD is peripherally involved with academics and handles scheduling all classes and class-related field trips (in consultation with the faculty) and monitors classes, assists with hiring faculty, helps students with most common academic questions according to the academic policy, attendance, class room equipment, etc, as well as working together with the Italy Programs Director, faculty and students to work through any academic-related problems or issues.

Attributes of the ideal RD candidate are flexibility, enthusiasm for students and study abroad and dedication. Candidates are advised that this is a time-consuming, challenging position. We therefore discourage those interested in pursuing their own research projects in Siena from applying. CET is seeking a candidate willing to commit to two years in Italy.


To Apply:

Qualified candidates should submit:

• A formal cover letter that includes the position title (Siena Resident Director) and how you first heard of the position opening;

• A resume;

• Contact information for three references.

Applications that do not include all of these requirements will not be considered.

Application Deadline: July 3, 2009


Send application materials via e-mail to:

Emiliana F. Caldarelli

Italy Programs Director

Email: emiliana.caldarelli@libero.it

Frittata ai fiori di zucca = buona!!!

When you start with homegrown ingredients like these, you really can't go wrong!

So last week, Il Nostro Inviato made a wonderful frittata with the zucchini flowers and basil he's growing in his garden.

The zucchini flowers had a nice little crunch to them. They are also good fried!

Buon appetito!

Calamari -- that's what's for dinner!

Oh I love calamari.

I think I am probably preaching to the choir, but still, let me go on the record as being a lover of calamari so posterity gets it right.

Take a moment to look at the photo above because I think Il Nostro Inviato hit it out of the ballpark on this one.

He stuffed the calamari with sausage filling. Then he sprinkled it with fresh prezzemolo from the garden (I mean parsley, but I love the word prezzemolo!).

Oh yes yes y'all!

Please stay tuned because I will be posting some other food photos. He's in rare form these days, I think because so many wonderful things are in season.

Buon appetito!

Alfa Romeo Watch

Ero in giro per la zona dove vivo e guarda che cosa ho trovato!

Una vecchissima Alfa Romeo -- parcheggiata a due passi da casa mia. Ma guarda qui!

Guarda un po' dentro, nel caso che non ti fidi. Avverto che Il Nostro Inviato ha detto che non era in condizione originale, che chiaramente fu smontata e ricostruita in maniera anche un po' liberale, diciamo.

Ma come tappa per una passeggiata va proprio bene!



Datela un'ultima occhiata!

Tram -- Firenze

Tram
Inserito originariamente da Lucy.Van.Pelt

They've just about finished building the new tram line in Florence. Thanks to "Lucy," one of Ciambellina's regular readers, we have a photo!

Lucy posted a comment to my basil post, in which she said it took them 5 years to build the first line, and now they are also building a second line.

Looks pretty cool to me!

Basilico!

(Updated) Il Nostro Inviato is growing basil (basilico) in an earth box that my father sent us. We used some of the homegrown basil to make gemelli al pesto last week, and wow, it was good! (See photo below).

You really don't need much space to grow basil, and it's one of those plants whose smell transports me immediately to Italy. And of course, it pleases my other senses. I just love the color green!

I'd also like to add that making pesto at home is not very hard (even for an inveterate non-cook such as myself). You need a blender and only a handful of ingredients: basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan; the recipes usually call for another type of cheese such as pecorino but we often only have one grating cheese on hand. And ecco, one of Italy's culinary treasures.

(Actually, a mortar and pestle also works well so maybe you don't even need a blender!)

In this case, the difference between making the sauce at home and buying it ready-made is significant. It's just not something that can easily be mass-produced and then sold in a timely fashion. 

(Although yes, you will see pre-made pesto sold in supermarkets here, and also in Italy).

When I visited the Cinque Terre a lifetime ago, I was astonished to find the region that gave birth to pesto sauce (Liguria, home to the city of Genova) loves it so much that pesto pizza is commonly served at pizzerias there! And it's pretty good, I might add.

NEW: My tastes have evolved over the years, and quite honestly, I find the garlic component of pesto vaguely annoys me (I've been meaning to experiment with much less garlic) but there are many other Italian foods that both delight me and transport me. Obviously: ciambelle/ciambelline. In fact, I set aside an important slice of my time in Italy now for finding new bakeries and Italian coffee bars where you can dine on the best Italian "donuts" (in quotes because they are so airy, it would be wrong to associate them with American donuts).

I also love something as simple as prosciutto and of course crostini (especially at a small town trattoria up in the hills). Oh and don't forget about a lovely cheese course.

And while I'd love to visit the Ligurian coast again, I've traveled a lot down South since my visit to Cinque Terre and have written a lot about travels to Puglia where one can log some seriously outstanding meals.

One last thing: some of my favorite posts are about food, including the story of how I truly fell in love with panettone.

Buon appetito!

Mario Biondi: "This Is What You Are"

Ilaria -- per te, un po' in ritardo, per il tuo compleanno.

NYT: Berlusconi's Escapades Finally Raise Eyebrows

Prime Minister’s Escapades Finally Raise Eyebrows
By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: May 29, 2009
The debate over Silvio Berlusconi is not just about sex, but critics say, reflects an inattention to Italy’s deep problems.

Here's the link to the story:

http://http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/world/europe/29berlusconi.html

Berlusconi: "Non ho mai avuto rapporti piccanti"

Silvio Berlusconi: "Non ho mai avuto rapporti piccanti con Noemi. Lo giuro sui miei figli."

I just love the literal translation: I did not have spicy relations with Noemi. Too awesome!

(If I were translating it per benino, I am sure I would use a different word. But how fun to say "spicy relations"!)

I'm assuming y'all have been somewhat following the latest Berlusconi saga in which Italy's head of state may or may not (read: DID) have some weird relationship with an 18-year-old.

I guess I will file this under 'lingua.' Literally!

Olio d'ulivo

I was afraid the opportunity to write about this olive oil had slipped through my fingers. After buying it for months, all of a sudden we could not find it at the DeKalb Farmers Market in Decatur.


Then it miraculously reappeared.

San Giuliano Alghero Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Sardegna.

It's awesome! You would not necessarily use it to cook, but we use it on our salads, on bruschetta, on risotto, whathaveyou.

I try to keep things simple when it comes to eating and in fact, when I think back to what Italian friends told me about food, the advice was always very simple.

So olive oil needs to be cloudy. And green. If it's clear and yellow, it just probably won't taste as good on a salad (but might work well as a cooking oil).

If you live in Atlanta, you can find San Giuliano Alghero at the DeKalb Farmers Market for $8.89 (you'll have it a long time).

Buon appetito!

NYT: Benigni Takes on Dante's Comedy

Funnyman Takes on Dante’s ‘Comedy’
By BEN SISARIO
Published: May 23, 2009
Roberto Benigni is about to begin a short North American tour of “TuttoDante,” a monologue about the “Divine Comedy” that mixes literary insights with off-the-cuff political jokes.



http://http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/theater/23dant.html

Arcore=Hardcore

Troppo bello ragazzi!

I haven't written about Silvio Berlusconi's latest marital shenanigans, but I couldn't resist posting this cartoon.

First off, because I absolutely love political cartoonists. I think they are brilliant! They manage to convey so much information in a few lines and one panel of imagery.

Secondly, the play on words is cutesy. Arcore is one of Berlusconi's estates, so basically the cartoonist is saying the prime minister's home is more or less a brothel.

What can I add? Really nothing. The best commentary I saw alleges that Berlusconi knows news of his infidelity and his boundless interest in the fairer sex only STRENGTHENS his following and his legacy in Italy.

Of course, c'è anche da dire che his current wife, Veronica Lario, who entered that marital state after having an affair with Silvio while he was married to Signora Berlusconi No. 1 (or was she No. 2?!), should have expected this.

What, he cheated on No. 1 with you, but surely he won't cheat on you?

Che buffo! Ovvero: che buffona.

Fiat Watch -- ?

Si, si!

Highland Ave. @ Elizabeth St., Atlanta



Che bella macchina!

Vespa Watch -- Savannah

La vespa è molto ma molto populare a Savannah. Voi conoscete Savannah, credo, perché il libro (e dopo il film) Mezzonotte nel giardino del bene e del male ha luogo li. E ci metto solamente 3,5 ore in macchina per arrivarci da casa mia.

Comunque quando ho visto che c'era una concessionaria di Vespa, chiaramente ho dovuto scattare qualche foto per il blog!


Come vedete, si vende anche l'abbigliamento ed oltre a comprare un motorino, lo si può anche noleggiare.


Savannah come città mi rammenta molto Firenze, a dir il vero. Sarà perché Savannah è forse l'unica città in USA dove ci sono le piazze vere e proprie. Città perfetta per una bella passeggiata.


Riconoscete qualcuno? Si è Il Nostro Inviato. A lui piace Savannah perché i locali offrono la birra da portare via -- e bere per strada. Solamente a Savannah ragazzi! Non lo provate a New York.

Scuola Italiana di Portland needs teacher

How cool is this: there's an elementary school in Oregon that offers instruction completely in Italian! Wow!

Well they need a teacher....read on:

Scuola Italiana di Portland (www.scuola.us) is a small, non-profit school, located close to downtown in Portland, OR. The school offers Italian language and cultural enrichment classes for beginning to advanced students ages 3 through 12 and a Reggio Emilia-inspired, full-immersion Italian preschool for 2-5 year-olds.

Position description: Italian teacher with a passion for working with children in a child-centered environment. Native speaker of Italian with relevant educational background.

Teaching experience at the elementary school level, two + years desired. Experience teaching Italian as a second language a plus, as is experience in curriculum development. Interest and/or knowledge of the Reggio Emilia teaching system preferred. Candidates should be flexible, focused and self-motivated, willing to lead a team in developing an academic curriculum for the school. Candidates must be US citizens or have valid US work visas and be available weekends.

Location: Portland, OR

This is a full-time, 9-month, academic year position, with possibility of renewal. Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the vacancy is filled. Send resume and references to Scuola Italiana di Portland, c/o Grazia Solazzi, President: grazia.solazzi@comcast.net

Italian Film Fest in ATL this week

Just wanted to remind y'all that the Italian Film Festival will take place this week at Georgia State University (in Atlanta).

The festival runs from April 28 to May 1. Below is a list of some of the films that will be screened and the dates. If you're interested, go here for more information:

http://www.cinemaitaly.com/index2.php?idfestival=23

Nota bene: All screenings are FREE and open to the public.

Ci vediamo li!

Films:

1.
I Vicere`
The Viceroys

Showings:
04/28/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Roberto Faenza
Producer: Elda Ferri
Cast: Alessandro Preziosi, Cristiana Capotondi, Lando Buzzanca, Lucia Bose
Screen Play: Andrea Porporati, Filippo Gentili, Francesco Bruni, Roberto Faenza
Director of Photography: Maurizio Calvesi
Year: 2007
Duration: 120 min.
Genre: Drama

2.
Notte prima degli esami, oggi
Night before the exams, today

Showings:
04/29/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Fausto Brizzi
Producer: Federica Lucisano, Fulvio Lucisano
Cast: Franco Interlenghi, Giorgio Panariello, Nicolas Vaporidis, Paola Onofri
Screen Play: Fausto Brizzi
Director of Photography: Stefano Paradiso
Editing: Luciana Pandolfelli
Music: Bruno Zambrini
Year: 2007
Duration: 100 min.
Genre: Comedy

3.
Parlami d'Amore
Talk to me about love

Showings:
04/30/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Silvio Muccino
Producer: Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenez, Riccardo Tozzi
Cast: Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Carolina Crescentini, Silvio Muccino
Screen Play: Silvio Muccino
Director of Photography: Arnaldo Catinari
Editing: Patrizio Marone
Music: Andrea Guerra
Year: 2008
Duration: 115 min.
Genre: Romantic comedy

4.
Prendimi l'anima
The Soul Keeper

Showings:
05/01/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Roberto Faenza
Producer: Elda Ferri
Cast: Caroline Ducey, Craig Ferguson, Emilia Fox, Iain Glen
Screen Play: Roberto Faenza
Director of Photography: Maurizio Calvesi
Year: 2003
Duration: 102 min.
Genre: Drama

Terremoto: "One Building In Two Unsafe At L’Aquila"

From Corriere della Sera's Italian Life section:

One Building In Two Unsafe At L’Aquila
Checks reveal 30% of homes, schools and public buildings in province also unsafe. Public prosecutor calls inquiry “the mother of all investigations”

L’AQUILA – The situation is much worse than it appeared initially. After the first 1,000 checks carried out by the civil protection agency on buildings still standing, it transpires that one in two is unsafe.

This is enough to confirm that the historic centre of L’Aquila and the villages at the epicentre of the quake could be in a state of near-catastrophe. The investigation, launched by the public prosecutor’s office, concentrated on the three streets with the highest numbers of victims – Via XX Settembre, Via Luigi Sturzo and Via Generale Francesco Rossi – along with public edifices that either collapsed or suffered severe damage, despite having been built to comply with anti-earthquake criteria.

It is suspected that unsuitable building materials may have been used, or that reports of serious problems may have been ignored despite calls for evacuation or restructuring of the edifices concerned.

The civil protection agency carried out some checks in less severely affected areas to enable those who have left homes that are not at risk to leave the emergency camps. Magistrates are taking another approach and have given priority to collapsed buildings that claimed victims. Less badly damaged buildings will come under scrutiny later.

Early figures from both inquiries are worrying. Out of 162 “private residential buildings” inspected at L’Aquila, precisely half – 81 – are no longer fit for habitation. Things are little better in the province, where 643 check ups produced 248 negative results.

The first figures for public structures are equally discouraging, the 78 checks in L’Aquila producing 45 cases where inspectors were unable to declare the building safe. The same average emerged from inspections of schools. Out of 25 schools visited at L’Aquila, 14 were found to be unsafe while three out of six inspected in the province also failed to meet requirements. This is just the beginning.

According to estimates from the civil protection agency, at least 22,000 buildings are require attention, a total that is destined to rise. It will take months to quantify the damage and magistrates will also be busy with criminal investigations for some time.

Public prosecutor Alfredo Rossini called it “the mother of all investigations.” Yesterday, Mr Rossini’s deputy, Fabio Picuti, chaired a meeting with the team of experts and investigators appointed to inspect the building stock.

Both magistrates know that it could take weeks to identify any criminal liability since engineers will have to report and chemical tests will have to be carried out before charges can be brought. In the circumstances, these could range from culpable disaster to manslaughter. Most important, investigators must recover files relating to the buildings that collapsed or were seriously damaged, documents that are held in local authority offices themselves declared unsafe. Recovery has been delegated to officers from the flying squad, coordinated by Salvatore Gava.

Early checks carried out at the student residence and San Salvatore hospital revealed that reinforced concrete columns may not have been code-compliant as insufficient iron appears to have been used. The concrete itself will now be analysed. Volunteers from the mountain rescue cave unit – which for the first time used micro-explosives to clear rubble – told how they noticed “how friable the structures were. In fact, the frame came away in our hands."

Una barza!

Today's joke:

Un sindaco chiede un preventivo per pitturare la facciata del municipio e gli arrivano tre offerte.

Quella di un tedesco di 3.000 euro, quella di un francese di 6.000 e quella di un italiano di 9.000 euro.

Davanti a tali differenze convoca una riunione con i tre concorrenti affinchè giustifichino i loro preventivi.

Il tedesco gli dice che vuole usare una vernice acrilica per esterni che costa 1.000 euro e che vuole dare due mani, poi tra impalcature e pennelli si spendono altri 1.000 euro ed il resto è il suo guadagno.

Il francese giustifica il suo preventivo dicendo che lui è il miglior pittore in circolazione, che usa una vernice poliuretanica e che vuole dare tre mani. La pittura viene quindi 3.000 euro, tra impalcature e pennelli si spendono altri 2.000 euro e gli altri 1.000 sono il suo guadagno.

L'italiano, che viene ascoltato solo per curiosità poichè il suo preventivo non è paragonabile agli altri, dice: "Sindaco, il mio è sicuramente il preventivo migliore: 3.000 euro sono per te, 3.000 sono per me e 3.000 sono per il tedesco che pittura la facciata..."

Beneficenza @ Fritti (Atlanta)

Siamo andati ieri sera ad una pizzeria qui ad Atlanta che si chiama Fritti per prendere parte di una beneficenza per le vittime del terremoto in Abruzzo.

(Tutti i soldi incassati ieri sera alla pizzeria andrà ad un fondo per le vittime).

Eravamo stati li a mangiare l'anno scorso prima di fare il trasloco, ma si voleva tornare perché c'era arrivato un nuovo pizzaiolo da Napoli.

Allora abbiamo assaggiato la pizza e persino abbiamo incontrato il pizzaiolo! Si chiama Enrico, e girava per la pizzeria, offrendo limoncello dopocena.

Ho preso la pizza margherita (che vedi nella foto quassù) e Il Nostro Inviato invece ha preso la pizza toscana. Erano buone, anche se la pizza qui in USA è sempre diversa da quella che si mangia in Italia. Non ne sono esperta ma credo che abbia a fare con l'acqua.

La crosta è piuttosto morbida e spessa. Però era buona! Soprattutto con la mozzarella di bufala.

E poi non importa se abbiamo mangiato bene o meno -- si voleva fare un piccolo gesto nei confronti dei terramotati.

Musica: "La Mia Ragazza"

"La Mia Ragazza" di Luca Carboni

Watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTIHSKo6iKA

La mia ragazza è un fiore che vedo sbocciare
sulle lenzuola dell'ospedale
sul suo vestito bianco il suo viso stanco
piange gocce di rugiada

La mia ragazza è l'Africa, è calda e limpida
la mia ragazza è tutto il mondo
...e tiene in braccio il suo bambino
apre gli occhi è piccolino...

La mia ragazza è terra, è carne e sangue
dal suo seno nasce il grano

La mia ragazza è anima, spirito e preghiera
dal suo cuore nasce amore
è un raggio di sole che illumina la stanza
la mia ragazza è mia x sempre

...e tiene in braccio il mio bambino
chiude gli occhi è piccolino
e tiene in braccio il mio bambino
apre il becco è un uccellino...

Infermiere, ostetriche, pediatri e dottori
poi i re magi ed i pastori
e questo è il centro di tutto il pianeta
in cielo la stella cometa

...e tiene in braccio il suo bambino
apre gli occhi è piccolino
e tiene in braccio il mio bambino
muove le ali è un uccellino...

Sta tutto dentro ad una mano
apre le ali è già lontano...

Celebrating Giorgio Bassani

As someone who loved the book "Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini," I would love to attend the following event!

Italian Cultural Institute of New York presents:

The opening of "Celebrating Giorgio Bassani" in New York with the participation of Paola Bassani, daughter of the author, and featuring:


"The Painted Word"


An exhibition of paintings by Giorgio Morandi, Filippo De Pisis, Mario Cavaglieri, and Francis Bacon among other artists connected to Bassani’s emotional and inspirational world, with a selection of original manuscripts and letters.

Friday, April 17, 2009
6 pm


On view through May 7, 2009


Italian Cultural Institute of New York
686 Park Avenue
Manhattan
RSVP: 212-879-4242, ext. 370

Always Looking for Signs of Italy in Atlanta

Moto Bravo scooter store in Midtown (Atlanta) above and also in the photo below; Should be the right place to find Vespa t-shirts for Il Nostro Inviato!

Atlanta is a good place to own a scooter. Maybe if Il Nostro Inviato didn't already have an Alfa Romeo....but he does!


Saw this sign, above, on the porch of a house in Cabbagetown! It translates as, "Welcome to Foley's Vineyard."


Okay, so I saw this last "sign of Italy in Atlanta" in my own kitchen ma va bene, no?! Le lasagne -- buonissime!

Peanuts all'italiana

I stole this from the Italian blog, "Finché c'è vita." (Editor's note: it appears to be defunct so there's no link).

Translation: 

Charlie Brown: Do you ever think about the future, Linus? 

Linus: Oh sure, all the time. 

Charlie Brown: What do you think you'd like to be when you grow up? 

Linus: Outrageously happy!

Eh...ci mancherebbe! But of course! The first moment as an American when you realize people all over the world read -- or have read -- the Peanuts comic strip, it's surprising. Then you remember we're all people, we're all longing for connection, we've all known someone who worries over every little thing like Charlie Brown and we've all admired the people who give him comfort (and/or tolerate his pessimism without giving an inch!).

-30-

Italian Film Fest @ Atlanta

I just found out that there will be a small Italian Film Festival at Georgia State University in Atlanta at the end of the month.

The festival runs from April 28 to May 1. Below is a list of some of the films that will be screened and the dates. If you're interested, go here for more information:

http://www.cinemaitaly.com/index2.php?idfestival=23

Nota bene: All screenings are FREE and open to the public.

Films:

1.
Notte prima degli esami, oggi
Night before the exams, today

Showings:
04/29/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Fausto Brizzi
Producer: Federica Lucisano, Fulvio Lucisano
Cast: Franco Interlenghi, Giorgio Panariello, Nicolas Vaporidis, Paola Onofri
Screen Play: Fausto Brizzi
Director of Photography: Stefano Paradiso
Editing: Luciana Pandolfelli
Music: Bruno Zambrini
Year: 2007
Duration: 100 min.
Genre: Comedy

2.
Parlami d'Amore
Talk to me about love

Showings:
04/30/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Silvio Muccino
Producer: Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenez, Riccardo Tozzi
Cast: Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Carolina Crescentini, Silvio Muccino
Screen Play: Silvio Muccino
Director of Photography: Arnaldo Catinari
Editing: Patrizio Marone
Music: Andrea Guerra
Year: 2008
Duration: 115 min.
Genre: Romantic comedy

3.
Prendimi l'anima
The Soul Keeper

Showings:
05/01/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Roberto Faenza
Producer: Elda Ferri
Cast: Caroline Ducey, Craig Ferguson, Emilia Fox, Iain Glen
Screen Play: Roberto Faenza
Director of Photography: Maurizio Calvesi
Year: 2003
Duration: 102 min.
Genre: Drama

4.
I Vicere`
The Viceroys

Showings:
04/28/09 - 8:00 PM - Rialto Center of the Arts

Director: Roberto Faenza
Producer: Elda Ferri
Cast: Alessandro Preziosi, Cristiana Capotondi, Lando Buzzanca, Lucia Bose
Screen Play: Andrea Porporati, Filippo Gentili, Francesco Bruni, Roberto Faenza
Director of Photography: Maurizio Calvesi
Year: 2007
Duration: 120 min.
Genre: Drama

Italian Official: In California, No One Would Be Dead

More earthquake coverage, from the New York Times:

Italian Official: In California, No One Would Be Dead
By By Robert Mackey and Liz Robbins
Published: April 7, 2009
As Italy recovers from the deadly earthquake on Monday in the Abruzzo region, an Italian official has blamed poor enforcement of building standards and stated simply: "In California, an earthquake like this one would not have killed a single person."

Here's the link:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/italian-official-in-california-no-one-would-be-dead/

Terremoto in Abruzzo: 92 morti accertati, 100 mila sfollati e 1.500 feriti

Dal Corriere:

Crollati molti edifici: 45-50 mila sfollati. Il sisma, di 5,8 gradi Richter, avvertito alle 3,32 in tutto il Centro Italia

Terremoto di 5,2 gradi tra le province di Parma e Reggio Emilia
Una via di L'Aquila sommersa dalle macerie (Ansa)

L'AQUILA - Un terremoto di 5,8 gradi della scala Richter è avvenuto alle 3,32 con epicentro in Abruzzo, a circa 1o km dall'Aquila. La scossa è stata avvertita in tutto il centro Italia, dalla Romagna a Napoli. Pesante il bilancio: circa cento morti, decine di dispersi, 1.500 feriti, circa 100 mila gli sfollati, 10-15 mila edifici danneggiati con pesanti danni al patrimonio storico e artistico.

EMERGENZA - Il presidente del Consiglio, Silvio Berlusconi, che ha firmato lo stato d'emergenza (mobilitando Esercito, Aeronautica e Carabinieri) e ha affidato la gestione a Guido Bertolaso, ha annullato la prevista visita ufficiale a Mosca e si è subito recato all'Aquila insieme ai ministri dell'Interno, Roberto Maroni, e delle Infrastrutture e dei trasporti, Altero Matteoli. Il capo della Protezione civile, che è giunto all'Aquila nelle prime ore dopo il sisma, ha parlato di una «situazione drammatica, la peggiore tragedia di questo inizio millenio».

IL PAPA E IL PRESIDENTE - Sia Benedetto XVI che il presidente della Repubblica, Giorgio Napolitano, hanno inviato messaggi di solidarietà alle popolazioni colpite dal terremoto. Messaggi di solidarietà all'Italia anche da ogni nazione. La notizia ha immediatamente fatto il giro del mondo ed è stata riportata in apertura da tutti i principali siti di informazione internazionali.

«NESSUNO SARÀ LASCIATO SOLO» - Dopo l'arrivo all'Aquila, Berlusconi ha tenuto una prima conferenza stampa per fare il punto sulla situazione. «In volo ho visto che dovunque c'è un crollo, c'è qualcuno che aiuta. Nessuno sarà lasciato solo», ha detto il presidente del Consiglio.

LA SCOSSA - Il terremoto è avvenuto a una profondita di 8,8 km. Giulio Selvaggi, direttore del Centro nazionale terremoti, ha dichiarato che un sisma di 5,8 gradi Richter è considerato «moderato, con un'intensità 30 volte inferiore a quella che nel 1980 devastò l'Irpinia». L'Abruzzo è interessato da uno sciame sismico iniziato lo scorso 16 gennaio con centinaia di scosse. Il capo della Protezione civile, Guido Bertolaso, ha dichiarato che era impossibile prevedere il sisma, ma già infuriano le polemiche per la messa in guardia della scorsa settimana su un imminente terremoto del ricercatore Giuliani, indagato per procurato allarme.

BILANCIO PROVVISORIO - Drammatico il bilancio, provvisorio e purtroppo destinato ad aumentare: almeno 92 morti accertati, centinaia di feriti e circa 100 mila sfollati. Tra le vittime ci sono almeno cinque bambini. Centinaia gli edifici crollati completamente o in parte, migliaia quelli lesionati e inagibili. Gli sfollati potrebbero essere 45-50 mila solo all'Aquila, e altrettanti in provincia. La Caritas si sta attivando per mobilitare aiuti e volontari.

I soccorsi sono resi difficili dalle continue scosse di assestamento (una anche durante la conferenza stampa di Berlusconi) che rischiano di far crollare gli edifici lesionati e dal fatto che la prefettura, dalla quale si dovevano coordinare i soccorsi, è interamente distrutta. Anche la sede della provincia e altri uffici regionali sono pesantemente danneggiati. Il coordinamento dei soccorsi è stato istituito presso la scuola della Guardia di finanza. Il sindaco, Massimo Cialente, ha invitato i cittadini «a lasciare immediatamente il centro storico, perché anche le case non crollate possono essere gravemente lesionate».

Translating for "Eurocrime"

Buongiorno!

Maybe some of you wonder what I have been up to since moving back to Atlanta senza un lavoro vero e proprio.

Well one very cool thing I've done is translate (tradurre) interviews for a documentary on Italian police films from the 1970s, known as polizieschi or poliziotteschi.

You can see the promotional poster for the film, called "Eurocrime," above.

An Atlanta-based film aficionado and director called Mike Malloy is the man behind the project, and he's still putting the finishing touches on the film, which has caught the interest of Showtime, among other outlets.

One interesting thing I learned was the films featured not only Italian actors but also some big American names including Martin Balsam and Henry Silva.

These 1970s Italian police films were over the top in every way, and many of the actors performed their own stunts (of which there were many!). The films show a level of violence that one does not see in American films, even of that era.

And they had evocative titles such as "Bloody Payroll," "Weapons of Death" and "Live Like A Man, Die Like A Cop." Can't get better than that!

The films were produced in an era, known as the anni di piombo ("the lead years"), when the Italian political scene was exploding in violence, as people on the Left and the Right literally exchanged shots and planted bombs.

The translation was certainly a welcome change of pace. In the past, I've translated lots of company bids; I even helped out with a Benetton workplace manual. This was much more fun!

For more info, go here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1225633/

Vogliamo studiare italiano!

Guarda qui! Una foto scattata l'ultimo giorno del corso d'italiano ad Emory University qui ad Atlanta.

Io sono l'ultima sulla destra, e la signora accanto a me, con il maglione verde, è la nostra maestra, Antonella. Lei è brava!

Guarda quanto siamo contenti di studiare italiano!

Antonella è di Roma e si è sposata con un italo-americano che fa meteorologo (la sede del Weather Channel è qui ad Atlanta).

Il corso si punta sulla conversazione, che è bello perché serve sempre la practica. Ora stiamo faccendo una pausa e poi tra due settimane si ricomincia con un'altro corso.

Allora, ragazzi, nelfrattempo buon studio!

La Primavera è arrivata?

Sembra di sì! Ecco alcune foto che ho scattato nella zona di Atlanta dove abito.


Qui sotto, una foto che ho scattato nel parco vicino a casa nostra. Dietro l'albero fiorente si può vedere un palazzo stile tipico del Sud, dentro il quale c'è un museo dedicato alla storia della guerra civile americana.