International Call Centers
Using international call centers to call your home country is the easiest way to speak to your family as soon as you arrive in Italy.  Many call centers are located in the center of every major city in Italy.  Cost to the U.S.A. is usually .10 cents per minute.  The prefix to call the USA is 001+area code+number. 

Cell Phones

If you plan on being in Italy for several months, it is better to buy a cell phone.  Telephone calls are expensive in Italy.  You should compare different service providers and then decide which one is reasonable for you.  Cell phone providers are Vodafone, Tim, and Wind.  A good benefit about cell phones in Italy is that incoming calls are free!  Only outgoing calls are charged.  The provider will also give you a good rate to call your home country depending on the kind of program you choose.
Once you buy a cell phone, you will need to purchase a ‘ricarica’ card of your chosen provider in order to have minutes to make phone calls.  These cards range from costing 5 euro to 50 euro and you can buy these at any Tabacchi shop.
 
USA 800 numbers:  The 800 numbers in the U.S. cannot be reached from the call center or cell phones.  You can only call 800 numbers by using an American phone card via a pay phone in Italy.   

Public Telephones

In order to use a pay phone in Italy, you must first buy a phone card ‘scheda telefonica’ at a tabacci shop.  Tear off the corner of the card that is marked.  Then insert this card in the pay phone.  You will see as you speak how much time you have left for the call. 
Warning:  Do not use the 800 numbers posted on the public phone booth asking for your credit card number!  Their rates are extremely high and sometimes they might continue charging your credit card fraudulently.  Best way to avoid this situation is to use Italian pay phones only with the ‘scheda telefonica’ prepaid phone card.

Photos courtesy of Accademia Italiana Skopje and Majestic Moose

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to sekritgf for these wonderful scenes from Under the Tuscan Sun

You can visit the following lovely places that were film locations for many famous American movies:

• The Twilight Saga: New Moon – Montepulciano, Italy
• Hannibal – Florence and Sadinia
• Angels and Demons – Vatican city, Rome- the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo
• The Talented Mr. Ripley – Venice, Anzio, Palermo, Naples, Ischia, and Positano
• The Passion of the Christ – city of Matera in the Basilicata region
• Under the Tuscan Sun – Florence, Arezzo, Montepulciano, and Cortona
• The English Patient – Monastery in Sant’Anna Camprena near Pienza, Tuscany
• The Godfather – Sicilian towns of Savoca and Forza d’Agro outside of Taormina

Upcoming films that are scheduled to be filmed in Italy soon are The Monster of Florence and Mel Gibson’s The Magnificent (on Lorenzo de Medici).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Calcio Storico Fiorentino is a popular italian game that’s a combination of football and soccer and it is played in costume.  It originated back in the 16^th century in Italy where aristocrats dressed up in nice colorful costumes and played this game.  Calcio was a form of military training exercise which later became one the most popular games in Italy.  It is played in piazza Santa Croce in front of the Basilica di Santa Croce and includes ceremony of flags and great celebratory music!!   

The calcio players can kick, shoulder charge, and punch opponents.  The Florentines in the 16^th century played this game as a celebration before Lent.  This sport later became known as “giuoco del calcio fiorentino” – Florentine kick game.  This year the teams which represent different zones in Florence are:  White for Santo Spirito, Blue for Santa Croce and Red for Santa Maria Novella. 

Calcio Storico takes place annually during the third week of June for three days ending on the festival of St. John’s day, the Patron Saint of Florence.  The crowded audience includes many tourists and Florentine fans.  The game day ends with an extravagant celebration with fireworks that can be seen from the bridges by the Arno River.

Photos courtesy of  TomStardust

Music has always been an important part of Florence’s rich artistic culture and tradition.  Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is a music and arts festival held in Florence during the months of April, May and June.  The opera performances are at Teatro Communale and Teatro della Pergola.  The classical concerts are conducted by Zubin Mehta and by the Orchestra Regionale Toscano.  There are also dance and ballet performances.  Many famous conductors (Vittorio Gui, Bruno Walter, Zubin Mehta), singers (Maria Callas) and composers (Mascagni, Strauss, Stravinsky) have performed at Teatro Communale in Florence.  Maggio Musicale is one of the most exciting musical events in Italy and many visit Florence to enjoy this wonderful music festival!!

Pistoia Blues

Pistoia Blues is an international blues festival held every July in the piazza Duomo in Pistoia.  This is one of the most famous blues festivals in Europe.  Many great artists such as Frank Zappa, Jimmy Page, B.B. King, Santana, Bob Dylan and Deep Purple have performed at this festival.  This year Pistoia Blues is from July 14^th – 18^th. 

Umbria Jazz Festival

The Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important jazz festivals in Europe and in the world.  It takes place in the beautiful city of Perugia where people from all over the world come to enjoy this great festival!  Many famous musicians who have performed here include Gato Barbieri, B.B. King, Sting, Eric Clapton, James Brown, George Benson and Tony Bennett.  This festival is filled with international jazz music and other world music too.  This year the Umbria Jazz Festival will be held July 9^th – 18^th and performers include Mark Knopfler, Pat Matheny, Chick Corea, Sonny Rollins, The Manhattan Transfer, Melody Gardot, Enrico Rava and Stefano Bollani.  This is a must-see fun event!!

Photos courtesy of emmepa, Evan Shay, and desta

St. John the Baptist, Patron Saint of Florence, is celebrated in a grand way in Florence every June 24^th.  His birthday has been celebrated since the medieval times as a three day festival.  In the morning, a special procession by the clergy begins at the Duomo and ends at the entrance of the Baptistery door.  At night, beautiful fireworks are displayed from the hills above the city, Piazzale Michelangelo.  The view of these fireworks from the bridges by the Arno River is spectacular!  The entire city gathers to see this beautiful celebration of their Patron Saint.  

Easter (Pasqua) Sunday

Easter in Florence is celebrated with the “Explosion of the Cart” (Scoppio del Carro).  An old carriage is pulled by 2 white oxen from Porta al Prato to Piazza Duomo.  A wonderful flag ceremony takes place at the entrance of the Duomo.  Then, at noon, during the midday mass, a firework that is shaped like a dove is lit.  This dove is connected via wire to the cart outside the Duomo.  The dove comes down the wire and ignites all the fireworks that are in the cart and crowds cheer on celebrating Easter. 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Natale in Firenze)

Christmas season in Italy begins with the Immaculate Conception Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is on December 8^th.  Beautiful Christmas lights and decorations are seen all over the cities.  The most important decoration in the churches is the Nativity scene, the Presepe.  Naples has the best Presepe and is most well known for Nativity cribs.  The main piazzas have wonderful Christmas tree decorated.  Midnight mass at the main Duomo include beautiful singing of the Gregorian chants by the choir.    

The most important place in Italy for Christmas midnight mass is at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.  The Pope gives the midnight mass which is also seen on TV all around the world.  The next day at noon the Pope gives his Christmas sermon from the balcony of his home that faces the piazza.   

Other festivals in Italy include the Ephiphany Day (January 6^th), All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and Assumption of Virgin Mary (August 15^th).

Photos courtesy of GilGalaad, superfluous consonants, and CiuPix

Photo by Gap Travel Europe

These are some of the best places to go to in the Florence center for an enjoyable aperitivo.  The following bars are all located within walking distance from the station or the Duomo:

Kitch located on Viale Gramzci 1/3/5, near piazza Beccaria;  open 6:30p.m., cost €8, 055-2343890; many varieties of good food; can get crowded so it is better to go in early if you can.

Moyo’s on Via dei Benci, open 7:30p.m., cost €7, mostly students, colorful place, nice choices of food

Oibo on Greci 1, near Santa Croce opens at 7:30p.m., cost €8 055-2638611

Colle Bereto on Piazza degli Strozzi 5, cost: €10 055 283156; trendy, upscale, good selection of wine and a nice variety of food

Rifrullo on Via San Niccolo 55/r, cost €10, 055-2342621. They have great buffet on Sundays.

Zoe on Via dei Renai 13/r, begins at 6p.m., cost: €8, 055-243111, mostly students

Dolcevita located in Piazza del Carmine, opens 7:30p.m, cost: €10 055-284595; has a comfortable setting with sofas on the outside, great to relax with friends.

Noir/Ex Capocaccia on Lungarno Corsini 12/14r, cost: €9-10 055-210751; very trendy with delicious sandwiches and wine.

Slowly on Via Porta Rossa 63, open at 7p.m., cost: €10 055-2645354

Sei Divino, Borgo Ognissanti, €6, has nice variety of food, good live music on Thurdays.

Tangram on Via dei Serragli 3/r near ponte Carraia has good aperitivo, cost: €6  055-2382431

Photo by slizzuli

Fashion Summer Course Milan

Every year it’s the fashion designer goal !

The summer fashion study abroad is conducted on an individual basis, in which each student is privately instructed. Thanks to our concise and structured method of teaching, we can offer a significant and complete experience in a short period of time. Both students who are just beginning in the fashion field and those who already have studied or possess work experience will benefit from this course.

There are three level available for students and professionals coming in Milan from all over the world.

• Basic: suitable to people who are starting from zero

• Advanced: suitable to people who have already studied fashion

• Professional: suitable to people who have already studied fashion or worked in the fashion field

New courses available in Summer Course 2010:

• JEWELRY DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• SHOES DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• UNDERWEAR DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• ACCESSORIES DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
  (Jewels – Shoes – Feet wears – Belts – Hat – Bugs – Sun glasses )
• CHILDREN’S WEAR DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• BEACH WEAR DESIGN SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• THEATRE COSTUME DESIGN SUMMER 2010
• WEDDING DRESS DESIGN COURSE SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• UNDERWEAR PATTERN MAKING SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• BEACH WEAR PATTERN MAKING SUMMER PROGRAM 2010
• WEDDING DRESS PATTERN MAKING COURSE SUMMER PROGRAM 2010

Photo courtesy of meticcio

What you need

• 20 cherry stone clams, medium size, about 2 ½  inches each
• 1 cup al purposes flour
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup clams (or mussels) water
• 1 tbs fresh minced parsley
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced or passed through the garlic crusher
• frying oil

Preparation!

Put the clams in a pot with half cup of water, cover with a lid and put on the heat. cook until they are all open. Take off from heat and let them cool. Take out the mollusc from the shell and keep aside.

Filter their jus (or mussel jus) with a cheese cloth.

Put the flour in a bowl and whisk it while pouring the two liquids, wine and shell jus. Mix in the minced parsley and garlic. Let the mixture set half hour, then mix it again.

Heat the oil to frying temperature – 170°C, 340 F – .

Immerse the mollusc in the batter and deep fry until slightly golden. Drain on absorbing paper.

Serve them with a toothpick as finger food or return them inside half shell.

Find Clams in Giglio Island

The only other place where I have seen sour cherries on sale is Isola del Giglio, the small island off the coast of Tuscany where I come from. There are some different details: the period is different, as up here, the summer comes later. The sour cherries come on june in Giglio and on august in Mount Desert Island. Besides, the last time I saw sour cherries on sale in my Tuscan island was about twenty years ago. They seem to be out of fashion, there. So, seeing them up here, so far away, gives me a little, pleasant choc. I believed them extinct, like many animals or plant species, killed by pollution and evolution that wants things, living and not, to  be able to go to Mars.

This is the beginning of an amazing newspaper written by our students of Italian language in Milan! They produced a real student magazine with articles about their experiences as well as a mail corner and horoscope!! We strongly suggest that you read every page: you can dowload it here: Il Leonardino.

Here’s the summary of the magazine:

La scuola multinazionale non dorme mai! – page 1
Dite la vostra: quattro studenti (Francia, Iran, Inghilterra e Svezia) a confronto – page 2
Ricordando il primo giorno a Milano – page 2
Lo sapevate che… (curiosity about Leoonardo da Vinci and Milan) – page 2
Lettera aperta a… – page 3
C’è post@ per te… (mail corner) – page 3
Intervista a Valentina (Italian language teacher) – page 4
Si mangia bene, anche dallo Straniero – page 4
L’oroscopo delle stelle – page 5
Crossword puzzle and other games – page 6

We would like to thank students who have participated in the project.
Enjoy the reading.

Source: http://blog.scuolaleonardo.com/2010/04/14/an-amazing-newspaper-il-leonardino/

Following last year’s successful summer course in Furniture Design, the Florence Institute of Design International will once again run a four week design course from June 7th – July 2nd 2010. The purpose of the short course is to develop students’ knowledge and skills related to all aspects of furniture design, from design to development to production of prototypes.

The Florence Institute of Design International is set in an elegant palazzo in downtown Florence, a city renowned the world over for its’ art and architecture. In a relaxed and stylish environment, surrounded by cafes and restaurants, the institute is the perfect place to study the intricacies of Italian furniture design and to enjoy the myriad of attractions on offer in Florence.

The Course

Architect Leonardo Rossano will be leading this year’s course in italian furniture design. Arch. Rossano is a leading authority in furniture design known for his work with the Italian furniture companies LaPalma,TMA and True Design, and also RF Yamakawa in Japan. “Influenced by technologies and nature as an unfailing source of inspiration, I always look for formal, simple and essential solutions. In my opinion a balance between aesthetics and functionality is always topical especially when it arises from the confrontation between evolving behaviors and new trends” says Arch Rossano.
The type of course content proposed by Arch Leonardo Rossano will be ‘Casa & Contract’. This expression covers both residential and commercial types of furniture design. During the four week program, students study presentations of materials, history, theories, and detailing of Italian and International furniture. The short course teaches furniture design skills together with a general overview of furniture history. The program is designed for students with a strong interest in Italian furniture design, interior design and industrial design. This course is open to students of all levels. People with a general interest in Furniture Design, but have no immediate plans to pursue a degree are also encouraged to enroll. The studio course will be a mixture of design assignments, lectures and discussions.

Last year’s course attracted students from all over the world, from Brazil to Australia to England. For more information on enrolment you can see the main website for the Florence Institute of Design International:

www.florence-institute.com

About Arch. Leonardo Rossano

Arch. Leonardo Rossano graduated in Architecture from Florence University in 1991. He has worked with renowned architect Claudio Nardi, taking part in design projects including boutique design for Dolce and Gabbana, Gianfranco Ferre and Valentino. Since 1998 he has worked as a free lance professional designer of furniture and furnishing complements for fair stands and company communication and produces furniture with renowned companies LaPalma, TMA and True Design. His style can be described as working with forms that are fresh and innovative while using a variety of materials including bent plywood, aluminum and steel.