by Dianne Hales | Jun 22, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, culture, Italian, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Language, learning Italian, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
A guest post by Andrea Bernardoni, vice president of LICET The country of Italy, with its culture and iconic lifestyle, beckons to be understood. Speaking its language can help. Obviously you can study Italian as a foreign language in a school abroad or online, but...
by Dianne Hales | Jun 8, 2021 | art, art history, Books, books on Italy, culture, Florence, history, Italian, Italian language, Italy, Language, learning Italian, Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci, Religion, Roman history, Travel, Tuscany, Web/Tech, Weblogs, women
Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo (June 15, 1479 — July 15, 1542) My quest for the real Mona Lisa began years ago in Florence when I was doing research for LA BELLA LINGUA. An art historian who befriended me casually mentioned during a dinner at her home that the mother...
by Dianne Hales | May 25, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, Dante, Florence, history, Italian, Italian language, Italy, Language, literature, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Although 756 years have passed since Dante Alighieri’s birth in Florence in May of 1265, his words live, not just in literature, but also on the tongues of contemporary Italians. On a swerving, heart-stopping ride through Rome, a taxi driver assured me that the...
by Dianne Hales | May 11, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, culture, history, Italian, Italy, Language, learning Italian, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Weblogs
“What do you miss most about Italy?” I asked one of my first Italian teachers, who had recently moved to the United States. She didn’t hesitate. “La piazza,” she replied. Over the years, I’ve come to understand why. The piazza is...
by Dianne Hales | May 4, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, culture, history, Italian, Italian language, May, Mother's Day, Roman history, Sayings and expressions, Social behavior, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Italy has been celebrating mothers for more than 2000 years. As the dark, cold winter gave way to the bright rebirth of Spring, the ancient Romans paid tribute to their gods of fertility. One holiday, Matronalia, was dedicated to Juno, the queen of the gods, and...
