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April 2009 |
The Tuscany Effect
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Issue #11 |
Welcome to the Toscana Mia
Ezine "The Tuscany Effect"
Brought to you by Serenella
Leoni, Tuscan Lifestyle Expert
Email Serenella
(serenella@toscanamia.biz)
NOTE: Use
the email address directly above if you wish to contact me. If you hit
"Reply" your email will go directly to an automated e-zine server
and I will NOT receive your message.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone who loves Tuscany, Italy or
all things Italian from food, wine, travel, villas and tours, to
traditions, language, fashion, art, music, books, movies and more. |
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In This Issue:
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Special Villa Offer for Toscana
Mia Clients
You are receiving a very generous
offer from the Villa Ghiaia Estate near Lucca (Tuscany).
Villa Ghiaia is offering considerable discounts on their
largest villas for the peak periods of June through
September, 2009. These rustic, fully remodeled villas
are in an idyllic location between Lucca and the
Riviera della Versilia coast. This is indeed a great
opportunity for your Tuscan getaway (prices are quoted
in Euros):
Villa Tiglio (sleeps 8+2):
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June and September (Mid-season): € 2.000,00/week
(normally
€ 2790.00/week)
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July and August (Peak Season): € 2.500,00/week (normally
€ 3290.00/ week)
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Universal
Currency Converter Tool
Villa Casolare (sleeps 8+1):
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June and September (Mid-season): € 1.500,00/week
(normally € 2250.00/week)
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July and August (Peak Season): € 2.200,00/week (normally
€ 2950.00/ week)
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Universal
Currency Converter Tool
I hope you will take advantage of this offer for your
dream Tuscany vacation!
Contact Serenella for more
information |
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Message from
Serenella |
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April brings highs and lows to
Italy this year...
Last month we talked
about the beautiful flowers that bloom in March and the
Camellia Festival in Lucca. Here is a slide show (generously
sent to me by Marlene in Lucca) that shows you, better than
any words can, the beauty of that event and the town of Lucca:
If Photo
Show doesn't open, click here to view now.
April in Italy is always beautiful and, yes, it
often brings April showers to the lush green terrain. This
April brought April Fool's (Pesce d'Aprile), Passover and
Easter as well as Italian Liberation Day (on April 25th).
There are also many patron saint and local festivals
throughout Italy.
Unfortunately, this year April brought a terrible earthquake
to the town of L'Aquila and surrounding areas in the region of
Abruzzo in Italy. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who
inquired about my friends and family. Everyone I know is fine
and 200 miles away from the earthquake's epicenter.
 What
happened in L'Aquila was terrifying and heartbreaking.
Fortunately, the government and volunteer responses were very
quick and the tent cities were up the first night for all the
survivors. Four thousand hotel rooms in the area were offered
as temporary housing. Miraculous recoveries occurred,
including one of a 98-year-old woman after 30 hours under the
rubble (who spent her time waiting and crocheting)!
Nonetheless, the tally thus far is 293 victims over 2,000
injured and around 50,000 without homeless. L'Aquila is a
college town so many of the victims were young students. The
aftershocks are relentless.
If you would like to help, the National Italian American
Foundation has set up a special Abruzzo/NIAF Relief fund to
help victims and their families. For information, go to:
www.niaf.org/relief/Relief_info.asp.
You can also make donations to the Italian Red Cross (Croce Rossa Italiana). This site is in Italian:
http://www.cri.it/donazioni/index.php?mode=form
Grazie mille!
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My Italian Mamma |
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My Italian Mamma
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Angelo, Serenella, Velia and John |
April
1 is always special in our family; this year, we celebrated my
mother's 93rd birthday. We all went out to dinner to her
favorite local (Italian) restaurant where she is friends with
the Venetian chef, knows everyone, and is treated as a special
guest. Just between you and me, she loves getting lots of
attention!
As I look at my mother Velia, who at 93 is still vibrant,
stylish and feisty, I can't help but think of all the women of
her generation with their indomitable spirit and resilience.
Born in San Mateo, CA in 1916 of immigrant parents, my mother
was taken back to Italy at the age of 3. During her childhood,
Velia's father was often gone for years at a time, working
hard to send money back to his family in Italy. This was the
story of many Italian families in those days. Later, my mother
was moved to locations all over France, Italy and Corsica
following my grandfather's and grandmother's peregrinations. My
grandfather was a masonry contractor but also ventured into
restaurant ownership and the wholesale produce business among
other things.
My mother lost her only brother to peritonitis when she was
only 11. She survived the Great Depression and World War II
during which she lost her first two babies, saw many friends
suffer and was separated from my father with no communication
for 24 months while he was a prisoner in a Nazi prison camp. She and my father lost another infant of
six months after the war. I was her fourth child. My sister
was born later after we came to America. My mother has been
widowed since 1980.
Despite all the life challenges thrown her way, Velia
continues to amaze us all as well as her doctors who think she
is in unbelievable shape. She still makes her award-winning
home-made vinegar, bread and pizza from scratch and all the
traditional Tuscan treats for the holidays. She labors for
many days to prepare surprises for unforgettable Christmas
dinners. She has always worked hard. She has learned to use
her computer email and Skype to keep up with our family and
friends in Italy. Unfortunately, her macular degeneration has
made it difficult for her to knit, crochet and sew, three things she
loved to do. Many are the newborns who received Velia's
special "lucky booties."
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Nonna Velia and her grandsons |
Velia's
pride and joy are her two grandsons (my sons). And woe betide
them if they go a long time without calling or visiting their Nonna!
I'm afraid my sister and I have definitely taken a back seat
when it comes to her attention. Even though they are in their
30s, Nonna Velia continues to make David and Angelo
(home-made) goodie baskets for Befana and Easter - and they
love it!
Perhaps it is my mother's example that explains my reaction to
the story of the 98-year-olds, Maria D'Antuono and Ines
Alessandro who survived the L'Aquila
earthquake. I was not at all surprised. In fact, I believe the
women of that generation symbolize the Italian people
themselves; a people who have survived thousands of years of
invasions, famines, wars and the ravages of nature only to
always rise stronger than before.
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Serenella's Column in the Examiner.com |
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Serenella's Column in the
Examiner.com
Thanks to all of you who have been
reading my column in the examiner.com. I hope you will
keep dropping in to read the articles. Below are some
recent additions.
The first article is about yet another amazing Italian
woman, Nobel Prize winner Rita Levi Montalcini who turns
100 on April 22. Next is great walking tours offered
this year through the national parks of Tuscany. Another
is on ideas for using all your leftovers to make
delicious meals. An entry about what it's like to have
dogs in Lucca is the next one while another talks about
the traditions of baseball - yes, baseball - in Italy.
Finally, learn about the new documentary on the life of
world-famous designer Valentino. It is now playing in
major cities.
Grazie!
Enjoy your
reading!
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Recipes from Authentic
Italian Women: |
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Recipes from Authentic Italian
Women:
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Velia and her good friend Egle |
I
definitely could not write an article
about my Italian mother without saying something about
her cooking. Everyone on both sides of my family loves
to cook and my mother is definitely carrying on all our
traditions.
When we were children, our house was always full of
family and friends who raved over my mother's cooking.
It was the best and most authentic Italian eatery
around! My mother's parents owned a restaurant in Nice
(France) when she was young so she loves the cooking of
Provence as well.
It is difficult to adequately share Velia's recipes
since you really have to watch her cook to understand
all the little details involved. (In fact, I hope we can
make a video of her soon.). The magic occurs between "A
little bit of this" and "A little bit of that."
She has finally agreed to share a few recipes with me
(it wasn't easy but I told her I would put her picture
on the Internet!). I will be posting these recipes on my
blog over the next month or so at
http://toscanamia.biz/blog/
For now, here is a link to a few of her recipes:
Also, for those of you who enjoy spring and summer
cocktails, here are the recipes for 3 different
cocktails using the popular Campari and Limoncello
Italian liqueurs:
Buon
appetito!
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Italian Proverbs and Sayings |
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Italian Proverbs and Sayings
The best way to learn about a country
and its language is through popular sayings or proverbs. Here
are a few for you to ponder:
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Non ha peli sulla lingua (she/he has no hairs on
their tongue)!!
This means the person is very outspoken and will say
anything they please
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'Gli manca una rotella' (he/she is missing a
wheel)
Their elevator doesn't stop on every floor (missing
a cog)
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A confessore, medico e avvocato non tener il ver
celato.
To confessor, doctor, and lawyer do not hide the
truth.
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Botte buona fa buon vino.
A good barrel (cask) makes good wine.
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Cambiano i suonatori ma la musica è sempre quella.
The melody changes but the song remains the same.
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Chi pecora si fa, il lupo se la mangia.
Those who make themselves sheep will be eaten by the
wolf.
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Questions and Topic
Suggestions |
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Questions and Topic Suggestions
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Have Any Questions?
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messages consistently in your inbox with images
displayed, please add this address to your
address book, buddy book, or contacts list: serenella@toscanamia.biz. |
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Have A Topic Idea for
The Tuscany Effect?
I'd love to hear it!
Just
email me any time here and let me know what
topics you'd like to know more about. |
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Website and Blog |
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Please visit our website for the
latest news on how to
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villa, embark on a
custom-designed Tuscany tour, plan a
one-of-a-kind Italian wedding, or purchase your own piece of
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experience.
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Please visit our
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Italian food, wine, trends and all the things Tuscans love
with a passion!
Until next time, ciao a tutti!
Serenella
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