DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY PICNIC
The annual get-together will be this coming Sunday, July 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Oakhurst Park in Westminster.
The Park is located at 9311 Lark Bunting Drive; turn west off of Wadsworth on 94th and continue until you reach Lark Bunting Drive; turn left and continue until you arrive at the park on your right. Rhonda Hopkins has kindly agreed to be the Chairperson for the picnic; there is no cost to members and their families but reservations are required and should be made by calling or emailing Rhonda as shown below.
The Society will provide hamburgers, sausages, and hotdogs as well as beer, wine, soft drinks and water. Plates, napkins, cups and plasticware will also be provided. Attending families are asked to bring the following: salad or side dish (last names beginning M-Z) or dessert (last names beginning A-L) and utensils for these dishes if needed. There will be games and activities in the park’s playground. There is a backstop for kickball and a sand volleyball court, but please bring equipment for other games you wish to play.
We are looking forward to seeing you all there, so please make your reservations before July 26 including number of attendees with Rhonda Hopkins at
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
When I was in grade school, a long time ago, we didn’t go back to school until after Labor Day. Now my grandkids will be starting school the middle of August. Times change! You’re probably asking yourself “what does that have to do with the Dante Alighieri Society?”. Well, we realize that times change, and we need to change with the times. While still holding true to the three principal activities of the Society – Cultural Programs, Italian Language Classes, and College Scholarships – we continue to explore new ways of promoting and delivering our products. Our newly designed website is just one example of our efforts to spread the word. While the Board won’t be going back to school the middle of August, we will be holding a retreat to look at strategic planning for the future. The Dante Alighieri Society is strong, and we want to insure it will continue to be a viable organization “to share the richness of the Italian culture and language with the entire community”. John Giardino
END OF SUMMER GALA! Cooking Class, August 19-limited to ten chefs.
We’ve all experienced that overabundance of vegetables in our gardens at the end of the season. What do we do with that ten-pound zucchini hiding under overgrown leaves, or the tomatoes that seem to multiply overnight, or the peppers that have had enough sun and need to be picked. Well, no more leaving giant squashes on your neighbors’ doorstep and running! Let’s create some fun recipes that can utilize all this homegrown goodness. Space is limited so register now.
A NOTE OF APPRECIATION
Our Society would like to express sincere gratitude to Mr. Jay Cimino, CEO of the Phil Long Automotive Group, for his generous contribution to our scholarship fund. Jay is a long-time champion of the city of Trinidad whose love for his hometown inspired growth and change in the city, including his founding of two nonprofits, Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center and the Sister Blandina Wellness Gardens. Additionally, Jay founded Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center which now has an office in Trinidad. His support of our scholarship program speaks to the pride he takes in his Italian heritage and his desire to encourage young people to enhance their knowledge of the language and culture of Italy. Mille grazie, Jay.
FALL EVENTS COMING SOON
Our Society is planning many activities for fall beginning with the September cultural night and continuing throughout Italian Heritage Month in October. Join us on Friday, September 8, at 7:30 p.m. for a presentation entitled “The Sistine Chapel and its View of our World”. Professor Wayne Ambler will talk about the challenges that Michelangelo had to face as well as the meaning of the frescoes and how they offer a vision of the world very different from our own. As usual, we will meet in the Parish Hall of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 3549 Navajo Street in Denver.
ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH
October is Italian Heritage Month, and we are offering a variety of stimulating opportunities which will include a tour of the Denver Art Museum’s collection of Italian art, a presentation on how to apply for Italian citizenship, a cooking class with Chef Adam Giardino, and a program on music inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. More events and details will be available in the September Notiziario and on our website.
FALL SESSION OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES BEGINS SEPTEMBER 18, 2023
The Society’s ten-week summer session of in-person Italian language classes is currently underway. The fall session of Italian language classes will begin the week of September 18, 2023. The schedule for fall classes will be posted on the Dante Society website by August 14. The registration deadline for the fall session is September 11. Classes are taught by experienced and talented bi-lingual teachers, and include beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. Each class meets for 90 minutes, once a week at 3549 Navajo Street, Denver, in the parish office of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Cost is $115 for members and $145 for non-members. New members are welcome to join the Dante Alighieri Society when they register for classes. Please register early because classes do fill up. For more information CLICK HERE
BENVENUTI
The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver gives a warm welcome to our new members:
Paula Coffee, Elan Dalton, Allison Denny, Christina Forsyth, Greg Gustafson, and Katelin Shugart-Smith.
AUGURI DI BUON COMPLEANNO
We wish our members a Buon Compleanno during their birthday month. We want to include more members in this column, so please send a quick email, with your birthday month and day, to Dante Society Board member, Suzanne Fasing, at
Michael Miller
Suzanne Fasing
Lou Scalmanini
Lauren Pollema
Rosalie Caputo
Elizabeth Fuselier
Julia McIntosh
3-Aug
9-Aug
10-Aug
11-Aug
12-Aug
16-Aug
17-Aug
Ida Casagranda
Lisa Tadiri
Rose Birge
Bernice Pasut
Amy Zimmer
Andrew Gargano
August 19
August 26
August 29
August 29
August 30
August 31
HOSPITALITY UPDATE
Hospitality Chairperson Camilla Marcantonio would like to thank the members who have provided refreshments for the cultural meetings. If you would like to contribute to our gatherings in this way, please contact Camilla at the following:
CIBOR Italian Television Network
We know that a number of our members subscribe to Italian TV networks, so we thought this might be of interest. CiborTV is an Italian TV streaming platform that provides a wider range of programming than current providers, with promises of expanded programming in the future. As an introductory promotion, CiborTV is offering a 20% discount on the set-top decoder. In addition, they are offering a 10% discount on items in their Italian gourmet marketplace, Just Italy Store, which is part of their new food channel, Just Italy. For more information, VISIT cibortv.com.
TIPS ON ITALY By Tonya Clement
I have been told by many people that if I want to learn Italian, I must not be shy and I must engage in conversation with Italians. Sometimes getting started in a dialogue is the hardest part. In preparation for my next trip to Italy, I have decided to share some topics that are considered icebreakers. Over the last month, I have collected a small list of opening questions and statements to engage others. Below is my list by topic. Rather than provide the translation, see how many of the statements/questions you recognize. If you do not know, resort to google translate as it is a learning tool. By all means practice.
Everyone loves to discuss the weather:
Che caldo oggi, vero?
Oggi e’ proprio una bella giornata!
Sai come sara’ il tempo domani?
Hai visto che bel tempo oggi?
People love to help. Ask for advice or info:
Scusa, potresti consigliarmi un buon ristorante qui intorno?
Scusa, hai qualche suggerimento su cosa visitare in citta?
Di dove sei?
Cosa fai nella vita?
Quale sono I tuoi interessi?
Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
One of the best places to practice is with your waiter:
Qual e’ il tuo piatto preferito?
If you are at a loss, Italians always love to discuss food:
Sai cucinare?
Qual e’ il tuo piatto preferito della tua regione?
Dove si mangia il miglior gelato a Venezia? Photo by Priscilla DuPreez
I have found that a little preparation always pays off. If I am going to restaurant, I plan a few questions in advance for the waiter. When checking into a hotel, I will practice statements that are common such as, I have a reservation for a room for the next three nights. The risk of leading with a strong engagement is that the recipient will assume you are fluent and respond with numerous sentence that will completely leave you dumbfounded… but just recognize that you are speaking Italian.
LOOKING FOR ITALIAN PROGRAMS ON TV?
Two of our members have suggested some programs in Italian that they have enjoyed on television. Take a look if you are interested.
Netflix
Lidia Poet A series about Lidia Poet from Torino, who worked hard to become the first female Italian lawyer.
Astrological Guide to Broken Hearts In Torino a girl works at a TV station and creates a show based on falling in love according to astrology. It is cute.
Framed A Sicilian Murder Mystery set in Sicily; two men witness a murder and have to hide from police and mafia. It is just fun.
I Hate Christmas Set in Venezia, a girl, who is a nurse, loves her life but her family wants to see her married! She tries in vain to get a boyfriend before the family Christmas dinner. Lovely settings in Venezia and a cute story.
Disney
You can watch the cartoon LUCA; it is set in Cinque Terre, and put the sound to Italian with subtitles in Italian or in English.
You tube Don Matteo
Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends Two girls, who are sisters but don’t know it, are separated; one grows up in USA the other in Milan. They meet not knowing that they are sisters at a fashion academy in Milan….. You have to search for this in Italian as they have dubbed editions. Middle School girls just love this series.
Don Camillo - 1952 - 1°parte
Lovely movie from the 50’s based on the short novels entitled, Don Camillo; just plain cute and nostalgic.
In ginocchio da te - 1964 with Gianni Morandi - love these 60’s movies and just adore Gianni Morandi.
Amazon Prime
Two entertaining series: Makari and Imma Tataranni
BRIEF NEWS FROM ITALY
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- Square where Julius Caesar was killed will open to public in Rome. Tourists will be able to stroll close to the spot where Julius Caesar met his end when Rome’s authorities open a new walkway on the ancient site. (We The Italians)
- The Pantheon is initiating an entry fee for tourists for the first time this summer.
- Italy's competition watchdog has opened an investigation into ticket sales for entry to the Colosseum and other ancient sites in Rome following widespread reports of difficulties in buying them via the official website.
- The cultural ministry has announced a new direct rail service between central Rome and the Pompeii archaeological site that will run four times a month instead of once due to popular demand.
- As travelers report mile-long queues and interminable wait times when trying to hail a ride, Italian cities are experiencing widespread ‘taxi chaos’.
- A recent earthquake in the Italian region of Tuscany sparked the brief evacuation of the cathedral and closure of museums in the city of Siena.
- Italian health authorities issued the highest-level heat warnings for almost all of Italy’s cities as the ferocious heatwave sweeping the country intensifies.
- Several Italian cities, including Rome, were left in the dark recently as power usage in the country soared to a record high amid sizzling temperatures.
CALENDAR 2023
CULTURAL MEETINGS
September 8
EVENTS
July 30 - Annual Picnic
Aug 19 - Cooking Class
LANGUAGE CLASSES
Fall session begins Sept 18
WEBSITES TO VISIT FOR MORE ABOUT ITALIAN CULTURE
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- Societa’ Centrale Dante Alighieri – http://ladante.it
- Societa’ Dante Alighieri di Roma - http://www.dantealighieri-roma.it
- Dante Alighieri Society of Denver, Colorado – http://www<strong< a="">>.dantealighieriofdenver.com</strong<>
- Dante Alighieri Society of Pueblo: http://www.dantealighieriofpueblo.org
- DAS of Denver in Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dante-Alighieri-Society-ofDenver/153670041417079.
- News from Italy – http://video.sky.it/news/diretta.
- Italian art - http://www.arte.it/.
- Italy news in English – http://www.thelocal.it/.
- Travel and Events – http://www.i-italy.org/.
- The World of Dante – The study and teaching of the Divine Comedy, http://www.worldofdante.org.
- Web site for TG5 (Mediaset) Notizie dall’Italia – http://www.mediasetitalia.com/nazioni/colorado.shtml.
- US Citizenship – http://www.uscitizenship.info/italian-american-history-and-culture/.
- Contemporary art and culture – (Arte e cultura contemporanea), http://www.artwireless.it.
- First Web TV on Italian language and culture – http://www.alma.tv.
- Italian American Museum - http://www.ItalianAmericanMuseum.org.
- Radio Italia – http://www.radioitalia.it/player.php.
- Stations based in Italy as well as international stations – http://www.italiansinfonia.com/stations.htm.
- Wikipedia’s list of Italian radio stations – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_radio_stations_in_Italy