DEAR DC, VA, and D.V.A. AMICI…

BUONGIORNO to all of you!

I hope you're all enjoying the bellissime giornate di primavera when all around us things change and burst into new color… Hopefully this "update letter" finds you all healthy after a long winter and eager to plan your next sabato sera with our current events calendario or even start planning your next Italian adventure!

I'd like to quickly remind everyone to contact me/RSVP by MAY for the September tours. I'm afraid they'll fill up fast and we can only take a limited number of friends, especially to the grape-harvesting week. Due to the fact that the1st tour (East to West Coast: Oceans & Lakes) ends the same day the 2nd begins (Food and Wine Week: Tuscany's Harvest) those registering for both tours will have "cuts-in-line" privilege over those registering just for the second tour. So sign up subito!

And speaking of the next vacanza… in August we'll be introducing a new section to the web site the long awaited and continuously requested "LIVING ITALY" which will contain rental information and photos of 4 exclusively selected villas and studio apartments available for you
~ on the main street with the ocean view in Positano, Amalfi Coast
~ above the main piazza in tiny Cortona, Tuscany
~ next to Piazza Navona in City center Rome
~ and right off the vibrant main street in unforgettable Taormina, Sicily.

Each casa has passed my rigorous standards…being intimate yet central enough to smell the cappuccino at the nearby bar, having "real Italian" neighbors, being affordable, comfortable and having views that should be in a postcard. So start planning your next adventure Living Italy.

And another change… DOLCE VITA IS MOVING TO NORFOLK VIRGINIA AT THE END OF SUMMER!

We've had a perfectly FANTASTICO time together in Northern Virginia ~ we've piggy-backed so many Smithsonian events, attended National Gallery of Art movies and presentations, gone to theaters and the opera, overeaten at cooking classes in the best ristoranti Italiani, taken enough Italian Language classes to get out of trouble (?) and of course- "adventured" some truly unforgettable trips together…

But change is inevitable (I keep repeating to myself), so this move is actually just a new opportunity to "spread the word"… well, the "ITALIAN" word.

Of course we'll continue our great group DOLCE VITA ADVENTURES to Italy (you'll love our upcoming travel plans!) The only change is that the "local" DOLCE VITA DAILY EVENTS will take place a little south, generally in Hampton Roads - Norfolk, Va. Beach, Williamsburg…

And of course the Dolce Vita website will continue to run, so thanks to the magical powers of the computer (that fortunately override my actual skill level) I'll remain available for you, whether for translations, language help, as a coach of encouragement for your next Italian dinner party, or from general to specific travel itineraries and referrals for your next trip.

GRAZIE
to all of you who have joined our get-togethers these past few years. Thank you for allowing me to share my love of Italy with you, your interest and passion for all things Italian is what has made this Dolce Vita dream become a Dolce Vita reality. I hope you'll keep in touch and that we'll see each other again soon (I'll be back in a couple of years…)

VIVA ITALIA!

Ciao,
Sibilla

MAY

MAY 4, WEDNESDAY (pm)
6:30 CINEMA: LA FORZA DEL PASSATO (Truth and Lies) http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/en434600.htm
8:30 CINEMA: PANE E TULIPANI: (Bread and Tulips) http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/en515085.htm
Suggest you go by Metro (Goethe Institute is 70 meters from Gallery Place
Metro stop) due to MCI Center's traffic. Both these popular films were sold-out
for first showing in April. In Italian with English subtitles. Directions; http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/knt/anf/enindex.htm

MAY 6, FRIDAY - MAY 30 (pm)
PUCCINI'S musical masterpiece TOSCA at the Kennedy Center
Passion, Politics, and Jelousy ~ in Italian with subtitles
tickets still available (45-290$) http://www.dc-opera.org/tosca.asp

MAY 9, MONDAY (pm)
Italian and Greek and Poetry Reading International night at the annual
DC Writer's Week Celebration. Hear Signor Martin Stiglio (Director of DC's Italian Cultural Institute) reading a selection of his favorite Italian poetry
202-724-5613 www.italcultusa.org

MAY 11, WEDNESDAY- MAY 27
"FIFTY YEARS OF ITALIAN CUISINE" a comprehensive exhibit presenting the Italian Culinary Academy's mission of preserving the Italian culinary traditions and
history. 202-223-9800 (May 10 - Opening) www.italcultusa.org

MAY 12, THURSDAY (pm)
"OVERVIEW OF ITALIAN CUISINE FOR AMERICAN HISTORY" an overview of Italian cooking in American kitchens, and use of media respources. Also some wine guidance and food samplings www.italcultusa.org

MAY 12, THURSDAY
REGISTRATIONS DEADLINE
FOR SEPTEMBER TOURS
(East to West Coast: Oceans & Lakes)
(from Venice to Verona, to Bellagio, Cinque Terre and Florence!)
(Food and Wine Week: Tuscany's Harvest)
(7 days of grape harvesting, cooking and bounty celebration!)
Make sure to reserve your spot (email DVA) as registrations have started!

MAY 14, SATURDAY - MAY 28
BUON VIAGGIO TO
LA DOLCE VILLA ~ TUSCANY TRAVELERS!

MAY 14, SATURDAY (full day)
"GREAT COMMANDERS OF ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME"
Odysseus, Alexander, Hannibal and Caesar, maybe flawed or brilliant,
but certainly interesting and good story telling as well as a huge impact
on World History. http://residentassociates.org/otomay/commanders.asp

MAY 14, SATURDAY (full day)
"VIVALDI AND VENICE".
Born and remained there most of his life, understand through recordings, slides and recreations the effects and influences this unforgettable city had on Verdi - same city, a different time. Happy listneing from 10:00 to 4:30. http://residentassociates.org/otomay/vivaldi.asp

MAY 17, TUESDAY and 18, WEDNESDAY (pm)
"Pizza Night Italian Style" at DC's ristorante "Il Sorriso"
it's not just the best food, it's also the most fun! 2 Italian "pizzaioli" are the special guests for some ACROBATIC PIZZA pizza juggling, sampling, wine tasting. For a good time call 202- 37-4800

MAY 19, June 16, July 21, August 11 ~ 4 (Thursday eves)
"READER'S GUIDE TO RENAISSANCE FLORENCE"
A book discussion group focusing on recent blockbuster reads-- the wealth, genius, greed and creativity that beautiful Florence provided in order to conceive one of our most important eras. Though started April 14, attendance and tickets are still available for purchase for any single evening attendance.
May 19; Power and Money
Book ~ April Blood: Florence and the Plot against the Medici, by Lauro Martines.
June 16; Family and Honor
Book ~ Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in the Renaissance by Gene Brucker
July 21; Genius Under Pressure
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, by Ross King
August 11; The Scientific Temper
Book ~ Galileo's Daughter A historical Memoir of Science Faith and Love, by Dava Sobel
http://residentassociates.org/com/florence.asp

MAY 30, MONDAY - JUNE 10
BUON VIAGGIO TO
SOUTHERN ITALY AND SICILY TRAVELERS!

JUNE

JUNE 18, SATURDAY (full day)
"DANTE AND HIS WORLD"
Presented by the oldest and most prestigious literary society in the U.S., join the exploration of the always inspiring "Divina Comedia" and the simple themes of power, intellect, morals and life. http://residentassociates.org/otojun/dante.asp

JUNE 24, FRIDAY pm, 25 SATURDAY
"VERDI AND THE BARD: VERDI'S SHAKEASPEARE OPERAS"
Verdi's 3 operas: Mac Beth, Othello and Falstaff are based on Shakespeare plays. Through videos and recordings find out how Verdi was able to capture and interpret Shakespeare immortal characters. http://residentassociates.org/otojun/verdi.asp

JUNE 25, SATURDAY (full day)
"PALLADIO AND THE VILLAS OF THE VENETO"
An visual journey of architecture to some of the most stunning villas in the Veneto area designed by Andrea Palladio (1500) with the goals of perfect proportion and symmetry. Also a discussion on Palladio's Four Books on Architecture and their overall impact on European design. http://residentassociates.org/otojun/veneto.asp

JUNE 30, THURSDAY
DEADLINE FOR CONFIRMATION OF
SEPTEMBER TRAVELERS'S
WAITING LIST

JULY

JULY 10, SATURDAY, AND 11 SUNDAY
TRAVELERS' DINNER PARTIES
FOR BOTH SEPTEMBER TRIPS

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 3, 10 (5 Wednesday eves)
"THE ART OF TUSCANY" http://residentassociates.org/com/tuscany.asp
A "can't- miss-it" for any serious aficionado of Italian Art, this exploration spans from its medieval heritage to the Birth of Renaissance to classical High Renaissance to Mannerism. Series concludes with a FIELD TRIP to the National Gallery of Art.
July 13 ~ Ancient and Medieval Tuscany (Montepulciano, Volterra…)
July 20 ~ Romanesque and Gothic (Lucca, Pisa, Prato…)
July 27 ~ The start Of Renaissance (Siena, Simone Martini, Giotto…)
Aug 3 ~ The Early Renaissance (Florence, Arezzo, Donatello, Masaccio…)
August 10 ~ High Renaissance and its Swan Song (Florence, Siena…)

JULY 19, TUESDAY (pm)
"FIDDLING WITH NERO"
64 A.D. Roman Emperor Nero: notorious tyrannical enigmatic persecutor, or simply misunderstood? Let's let by-gones be by-gones? http://residentassociates.org/otojul/nero.asp

JULY 23, SATURDAY (pm)
DOLCE VITA DINNER PARTY
EVERYONE'S INVITED!
No reason ~ just friends, fun, food and fun Catch up with everyone and share your latest Italian adventure, discovery, article or recipe Full Italian style dinner plus wine.RSVP to DVA 20$ per person

FYI SECTION…

If you missed it-
cover and excellent up to date article in April issue National Geographic Traveler Magazine: Insider's Tuscany: Locals share 35 things to do from biking to wine-tasting in Italy's classically scenic heart. For reprints call single copy sales: 1-800-777-2888 ($4.95) or just go to the libray- (note: you'll recognize most of the places from DVA travel, and the spa is a potential travel destination for 2006.)

LASTLY and most importantly…
Please continue to nurture your Italian curiosity and language practice with the incredible programs offered by the following:
http://www.italcultusa.org/
http://www.fieridc.org/WeekAtGlance.html
and Cetti at www.italianinsights.com

Stay tuned for updates and keep in touch.
Ciao!
Sybil

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music by Ramsey Lewis