Il Divo

Then:

Now:

Italiano Problems

Key phrases:

• can you help me? puo aiutarmi?
• I speak very little Italian. parlo molto poco l’italiano
• does anyone here speak English? c’e qualcuno che parla inglese?
• what’s the matter? che cosa c’e?
• I would like to speak to whoever is in charge of XXX: Vorrei parlare con chi e incaricato di
• I am lost: mi sono smarrito
• How do you get to? Come si far per andare a
• I missed my train/plane/conncetion: ho person il treno/l’aereo/la coincidenza
• Can you show me how this works? Mi fa vedere  come funziona ?
• I have lost my money. Ho perso i miei soldi
• I need to get to: Devo andare a
• Leave me alone: mi lasci in pace!
• go away! se ne vada!

Italiano Petrol

Key phrases:

• super: 4 star
• senza piombo/benzina verde: unleaded
• gasolio: diesel
• fill it up please: il pieno per favore
• please check the oil: per favore controlli l’olio
• can you check the tire pressure? mi puo controllate la pressione delle gomme?
• where do I pay? dove pago?
• can I pay by credit card? posso pagare con la carta di credito?
• Manca un po’ d’olio: you need some oil
• tutta a posto: all is well

Lunar Eclipse

A lovely lunar eclipse. Luckily for other reasons that fund my holiday I am up all night. Before dawn today, the Earth’s shadow darkens the bright full moon and it was time to look up into the skies. It lasted an hour and a half, to go from dull to dusky brown to orange red, depending on how dusty your subdivision was. A lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon and sun oppose one another in space as the Earth in between shadows the entire moon surface, but some indirect sunlight hits the moon surface. The earth’s atmosphere filters out most of the sun’s blue light but the red frequencies light up the moon rocks. The moon is always safe to look at so you can gaze or use a telescope/binoculars. There is no visual danger. The outline of the Earth shadow is always curved because we are round, wrote Aristotle historically but without fully realizing we are a blue ball. Tonight was one of the longest lunar eclipses we have had so I hope you caught it in time. Chabot had a “Once in A Red Moon” all night viewing party with lunar themed music from 2200 last night. There have been 58 lunar eclipses this century and they continue to fascinate me. Mythologically they have eerie significances. The partial eclipse began at 0151 PST, totalling from 0252 until 0422, then partialling until 0524. I hope you were out there to catch it.

Missing America

Italiano Colours

Key phrases:

• black- nero
• blue: blu
• light blue: azzurro
• navy blue: blu marino
• gold: oro
• green: verde
• grey: grigio
• orange: arancione
• pink: rosa
• purple: viola
• red: rosso
• silver: argenteo
• turquoise: turchese
• white: bianco
• yellow: giallo
• chiaro: light
• scuro: dark
• big: grande
• fat: grasso
• flat: piatto
• large: grosso
• long: lungo
• narrow: stretto
• pointed: appuntito
• round: rotondo
• small: piccolo
• square: quadrato
• tall: alto
• thick: spesso
• thin: magro
• tiny: piccolino
• wide: largo

Barolo Annuals

When you buy a bottle of My Favorite Varietal in the World, you would be well served to check the vintage. Fear not, here’s a guide for you –

1976: Mediocre

1977: Usual

1978: Grand!

1979: Optimal

1980: Optimal

1982: Grand!

1983: Optimal

1984: Good

1985: Grand!

1986: Good

1987: Usual

1988: Optimal

1989: Grand!

1990: Exceptional

1991: Good.

1992: Mediocre

1993: Optimal

1994: Usual

1995: Grand!

1996: Exceptional!!

1997: Exceptional!!

1998: Grand!

1999: Grand!

2000: Exceptional!!

2001: Exceptional!!

2002: Mediocre

2003: Grand!

2004: Exceptional!!

2005: Grand!

2006 – Trick question. Not so fast. You have to oak age for two years to the Monday beforeyou release or sample.

If you’re new to Barolo world, stick with the Grand or Exceptional vin