Pasta

Do we have any Simpsons fans out there? This Sunday's show cracked me up - Flanders took the Simpsons on a tour to the Holy Lands. While there was also some fun theological play throughout, the first half had many "Idiot American Tourists" references. I'm such a fan of people who find humor in people behaving badly abroad . . .

But this blog entry is to address a far more serious topic. There has been a culinary abuse which has been going on in America for years, and I, for one, just will not tolerate it anymore. An entire group has been mistreated and taken for granted for decades, and I feel I must speak out. I speak on behalf of PASTA today, my friends. Pasta, which has more variety than ice cream flavors. Pasta, which is structurally designed to hold the sauce which is appropriately paired with it. Pasta, which really should only be cooked one way. Pasta, which is important enough to the Italians to be used as an entire course on its own.

The Romans know how pasta should be revered. Rome has the Museo Nationale della Pasta (http://www.pastainmuseum.com/index.php) - that's how serious they are. And, when you enjoy a primo piatto during our first weekend in Rome, you, too, will see how serious they are. Long pastas, short pastas, soup pastas . . . semolina wheat, durum wheat, potato . . . red sauces, white sauces, pestos . . . mmmm . . . I've got to get dinner going . . .

Italophiles know that pasta isn't just designed for the eater's delight; each variety of structure of pasta is made so that it pairs ideally with the sauce which it holds. This hoo-hah of "choose your own pasta, choose your own sauce" is just that - hooey. Kudos to Barilla, a company who has been seeking to properly educate the United States in how to treat pasta properly. http://www.barillaus.com/home/Pages/Perfect_Pairing.aspx offers a thorough chart on types of pasta, and the sauces which should be paired with them. Just like ideal cheese and wine pairings, sauce behaves the right way when it's with its right pasta. Some of my favorite pairings are Bucatini all' Amatriciana, Gnocchi con Pesto, and, my favorite in Siena (a must do, at least once), Pici con cacio e pepe (hard, aged cheese and pepper grated over it).

Italophiles also know the importance of cooking pasta al dente - no serving mush to your table! It's no wonder why Americans feel we can cut pasta out of our diets - we have become pros at destroying the beauty of it. It has been medically proven that pasta done al dente is better for digestion . . . please, if you have tolerated soggy pasta for years, make the change to a better pasta experience!!! Pasta has to be strong enough to hold up to its paired sauce!!! It is said that Pasta is architecture for the mouth, and how can it serve its job when it's too mushy to hold its own shape? http://www.archimedes-lab.org/pastashape.html will give you some great images, if you want to feast with your eyes.

I am still on a mission to find a place which makes pasta at a restaurant in Dallas which fulfills my senses as much as when in Italy. The closest experience to pasta pleasure I've found is at Mi Piaci, just off Beltline and the Dallas North Tollway. If you're a regular Italy tourist, do you have another restaurant around here to recommend?

With the carb scare and all these anti-carb diets out there, you are completely denying yourself the experience which all stomachs deserve. Even if you suffer with Celiac disease, you can find pastas which are gluten-free at any restaurant in Italy (often, the risotto plates can be gluten-free). Really, it's not natural to not consume carbs - your internal organs suffer badly from not having a balanced meal for an extended amount of time. At your homestays, you'll probably have pasta for dinner every night. I can confess that my favorite sauce done by my homestay mom consists mostly of chopped asparagus . . .

The Museo Nationale della Pasta is closed right now for renovation - they must have heard about the "choose your pasta/sauce" and "overcooked pasta" debacles, and are taking time to mourn.

RESPECT PASTA!!!

ho fame,
Laura :)

Exchange Rate

Don't expect two entries in a day, usually, but I just thought of this . . .

Right now, the Dollar-to-Euro rate is the lowest I've seen in a while. Just two years ago, it was sailing at around $1.75 for one euro, and it's at $1.35 right now! I've put a currency converter onto the blog, for your quick reference.

If you're willing to pay the fee for the price of the exchange, it's not a bad idea to get some Euro cash or travelers' cheques in Euros for the trip right now, just to get a little more bang to your buck.

If you're not up for the gamble (that the Euro will jump again in the summer - probably not that drastically), my best suggestion is that you plan to use a Debit card (attached to a separate account, which parents can monitor), and take direct deposits from the Bancomats (ATM/MAC in Italy), keeping all your purchases in cash. This is how directors with SPI handle our expenses (personal and for SPI) - no one wants to blow the 3% fee which is attached to ALL credit cards on purchases abroad.

I'll talk more about this issue later - those of you who are far experienced in travel and the Euro will take note of this. Those of you who don't understand why I entered this blog, don't worry about it. :)

Looking out for you,
Laura :)

Cinema Italiana

Buon Giorno, Tutti!

Seeing as I'm subbing for the Theatre teacher today, I'm all in the mood to talk about Italian Film. This can include both films about Italy and films by Italians. Forgive me, those of you who are HUGE film fans, but I'm going to make this super-simplified, and keep the examples down to one or two, just for simplicity. Since we just experienced the Oscars, I'm going to focus on movies which scored in one category or another. If you have more to suggest, please feel free to share!!!

A great way to prepare your ear for immersion is by watching film or TV shows in the Italian language. And two CANNOT-MISS Italian directors are Federico Fellini and Roberto Benigni. Fellini's "8 1/2" was recently alluded to in "Nine", and, if you're looking for his most recognized, classic film, a 1960 Oscar winner, check out "La Dolce Vita". Benigni's 1997 film, "La Vita e Bella", is also a winner of 3 Oscars, a beautiful depiction and excellent blend of comedy and tragedy. And the two leads are Benigni and his wife (in real life, and in the film).

After viewing these two, you'll probably want to go for a good, light comedy. May I recommend Benigni's "Johnny Stecchino", a comedy of errors about the Mafia? Not exactly an Oscar winner . . . but a good giggle!

While we're in Siena, they have several great programs for the arts. If you prefer the music scene, keep your eye on the Chigiana's concerts. Their Summer Music Week usually starts sometime during the second week of our stay - http://www.chigiana.it/ - they haven't posted this summer's plans yet (usually is updated by early June). Siena Jazz is something which just started up a few years ago, but was so big that they had a Day, where there were Jazz combos playing all over town - http://www.sienajazz.it/ - they have posted information about their summer study courses, but nothing about concerts yet. If you're a film fan, you may want to attend the "Cinema in Fortezza" for a few of our nights during our stay? Almost every evening (except on the Palio, I think) they show a movie, drive-in-style, in the Fortezza. When we do our walking tour on the first day, I'll take you out to the Fortezza - my favorite spot in town. How fun to sit in the Medici Fortress and watch a modern or classic film!

While we're sharing websites, here's the City of Siena website: http://www.comune.siena.it/main.asp?id=0 Please, did you expect me to give you English websites? Be adventurous! Don't hit the translation button!!!

Want a movie view of Siena? You can see an EVENING PRACTICE RUN of the Palio at the beginning of "Quantum of Solace."

I have noticed that films are one of the best ways to spark images in your mind, as you prepare to visit a new place. Any way to make the novel, familiar, enhances your travel experience all the more! My favorite Rome film is "Roman Holiday" - see Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, both at their best! And the views of Rome aren't too bad, either . . . Or, perhaps you prefer something a little more suspenseful? How 'bout "Angels and Demons"? There are always those terrible, cheesy movies which wring out/strangle the romantic essence of Rome and Tuscany, including a movie which was released just this year, and another one recently done by a popular TV actress/music performer. "Under the Tuscan Sun" was a great book, and, while I'm not the biggest fan of the movie, it does show great shots of Toscana. Please don't think badly of the filming location, just because the movie is painful.

Cinecitta is where films are done in Rome, so if you're in the mood to search, you can find MANY recognizable titles which were created on the site! It's one of the stops on one of the (two - working on three) subway lines, but I'm not going to encourage you to go there when we're in Rome. Takes too much time to see too little. We'll see if we can "stalk" out a team in production in the middle of the city. Past SPI groups have visited the "Ocean's 12" trailers in the Villa Borghese, tromped on the catwalks of the fashion shows put on throughout Rome by Versace for his 50th (60th? 75th?) birthday, been in the Campo in Siena while they were filming for "Quantum of Solace" . . . don't worry - if there's filming to pursue, we'll find it.

If you have a gem to share, please feel free to do so! I'm always open to new suggestions!

un' abbracio,

Laura :)

Italy - The World's Most Coveted Destination

If it's in Travel and Leisure, then it must be true.

You can expect to receive procedural e-mails like me (like the last one) - "how-to"s for the trip. But sometimes you'll get entries (like this one) where you can get public opinion, special facts, or even recommendations about this fabulous location.

Without a doubt, Italy is one of the top spots for focus in publishing glamorous living. Whether it's a shot of a celebrity on a beach, or an article on the favorite place for vacationing, you're likely to see a little of Italy at all times on every newsstand.

While preparing to throw out this past year's collection of travel and food magazines which have been piling up around the house, I found at least one article on Italy or Italian food in practically every magazine. In n Travel and Leisure (Feb. 2010), Siena was the focus for "My Favorite Place" (courtesy of Emily Mortimer, recently seen in "Shutter Island") - there's a great picture of Il Campo - a view which will become quickly familiar to you - it's the main central piazza in Siena. And, yes, you will get the opportunity to climb that tower.

One of the best ways to experience Italy before arriving there is through books. I KNOW - some of you claim an allergy to reading, but it's really fun when it's not required! I promise! Whether you pick up a memoir, a tour book, a romance story, or a collection of short stories (my preference), you can find some amazing treasures about this wonderful country. As Spring Break approaches, I encourage you - no, assign to you - to pick out one book about Italy and read it during your Spring Break. And, to be a part of this activity, I have one for myself - my mother-in-law recently gave me The Devil's Queen, an historical fiction about Catherine de Medici - promises to be a little more bloody and risque than I'm used to, but variety is good, right?

Need a little direction for your own pick? Just for our weekend in Rome, you can find a trove of treasures! Are you an art fan? Try Michaelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling. Architecture? Check out the mammoth Not Built in a Day. Foodie? Oh, there are so many - The Tuscan Year: Life and Food in an Italian Valley or The Italian Food Guide, just for a start. For an immersion experience, there's the ubiquitous Under the Tuscan Sun (Cortona's about an hour away from Siena) or my more preferred Too Much Tuscan Sun. History fan? For Ancient Rome fun, check out Colleen McCullough's First Man in Rome collection for historical fictions or Steven Saylor's books for mystery/suspense. Medieval or Renaissance History? You will want to know about the Guelfs vs. Ghibellines, as well as the rise of the Italian city. Want to know a little more about Vatican City? I must recommend When in Rome by Robert Hutchinson (look out - there's a sweet romantic fiction by Gemma Townley with the same title, if you're looking for a fun fiction read, or John Grisham's Playing for Pizza).

Want something more specific to search? You can search one of the cities/towns we'll visit, or look up life in Tuscany. Check out a favorite artist or art collection. Pasta fan? Innumerable books about that topic . . .

We're always out to find the best bang for our buck. When preparing to spend time in a new place, one of the best ways to prepare is by knowing as much about it before we set foot off the plane.

What a great time we're going to have!!!

un' abbraccio,

Laura :)

Italia

Buon Giorno, Tutti!

It's official! We're headed to Italy! What an amazing experience we're all going to have!

Yes - it is more than three months out, but the more prepared you are for a trip, the better the trip will be for you. Right now, you need to be thinking about the following things:

1. Getting familiar with your geography: Where are you headed? What do you know about Rome? Do you know anything about Siena (besides the fact that it shares a name with a car and a color in the big box of crayolas)? What about the other cities in Toscana? Firenze? Pisa? Arezzo? Volterra? San Gimignano?

2. Getting familiar with the language: Do you know the standard niceties in Italian (per favore, grazie, prego, si, non, buon giorno, buona sera, piacere)? Do you know your numbers? Colors? Do you know how to ask for something (che cosa, questo/a, quant' e costa, dove, quando)? Can you tell time in Italian? Check out our monthly newsletters for quick phrases to know!

3. Getting familiar with the itinerary: Do you know where we're going to visit? Is there something special you'd like to see in one of our cities on our itinerary? Do you have a favorite artist who hails from Tuscany? Do you know what the food is like (and what it's called in Italian) in Italy?

4. Customizing it for yourself: What do you want from this experience? Before you depart, be sure you've shared your hopes and expectations with me, so that I can help make this the best few weeks you've ever had!

un' abbraccio,

Laura :)