SO WHAT WOULD be your Italian New Year’s resolution? Is it to go on more holidays in Italy, to learn more about Italian wines, stick to the Mediterranean diet or maybe you’d take up Murano glass-blowing or gold jewellerymaking? Or how about perfecting your Italian?
For anyone who has learnt, or is learning, a new language there can be nothing more satisfying than finally truly understanding something in a foreign language. I spent months listening to conversations between Liliana, the grandmother of the children I looked after and Tina, the family’s cleaner, when the three of us had lunch every Tuesday. I could never quite understand who they were talking about as every other word seemed to be ‘lei’ and I didn’t know if Tina was being formal with Liliana or if they were discussing a neighbour they weren’t too fond of. Then suddenly one day, during their usual conversing and eating, I understood everything. Just like that. So I butted in saying ‘Si, è vero’ in agreement to the point being made. The grandmother suddenly dropped her fork with a clunk onto her plate. ‘O Madonna!’ she yelped as she got up to give me a hug. ‘Cara, I’m in shock,’ she continued. ‘I mean it’s as exciting to me as if my darling Gin was uttering his first word’. I was delighted if for no other reason than the cat, to whom she was referring, had always understood more than me.
Melissa Ormiston - Italy Magazine Editor
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Read on for the contents of the January Issue.
sense of place
Snow in the Valle d’Aosta. An alpine chalet snuggles into the drifts formed by the previous night’s fall
Spoleto: an Umbrian gem
Christine Webb guides us through the most important features of one of the great historical and cultural cities in Italy
magical Sibillini
A circular tour of this mountainous area under the guidance of Gillian Price
letters
what's on
Our guide to the most interesting events in Italy in midwinter
insight and news
dual language
– ‘spending a penny’ in ancient Rome
In this month’s dual language feature, Fabrizio Del Piero explains how the Romans answered the call of nature
sabbatical in Florence
In the second of our two-part feature, Monica Moretti tells us how Helen Mackenzie Smith settled into life in Florence
a collection of canine companions
Melissa Ormiston talks to Sophie Gordon, curator of The Royal Photograph Collection, about a new book recording the Royal Family’s association with Italian dogs
The Last Procession
We are pleased to present William Thompson’s winning entry in our short story competition
languages
In our SPECIAL REVIEW SECTION, John Vitale takes a look at a multitude of ways to brush up your Italian language this year
book reviews
Maria d’Arrigo: queen of Savoca
Fabrizio Fiorenzano meets a lady who helped to put her Sicilian village on the map with a little help from The Godfather
tales of a tailor
Italian menswear designer Antonio Marras explains to Rosalind Giselle the unusual inspirations for his collections
weddings
We take a look at the challenges that lie ahead for wedding planner Marion Hunter in 2008
LA DOLCE VITA with VIVA ITALIA
a Tuscan haven
Margaret Collina takes us round a beautifully restored complex of buildings
business
In our regular feature, Emma Bird looks at starting a franchise, working with books and house-sitting in Rome
and finally ...
nebbiolo masterclass
Continuing our examination of great grape varieties,, Marc Millon looks at many manifestations of nebbiolo
soup kitchen
Germaine Stafford comes up with some delicious recipes to keep out the winter chill
table talk: Al Bano Carrisi
The first of a new series in which Germaine Stafford questions well-known Italians on their attitudes to food
il calcio italiano
Rebecca Lloyd looks at the surprising success of Udinese and how clubs are ‘twinned’
project paradise
In this issue, Ian Morley is rushing to get a roof over his head before the winter really bites
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