What exactly is merletto al tombolo? Well, it is a very old art form that harks back to the age of Caterina de' Medici. It is an antique way of making lace by hand. Anna Maria Gherardi, who lives in Arezzo, has done this type of work since she was a girl and during her childhood, Debora remembers hearing the noise the spools of the threads made always in the background as her mom worked on her roundtable creating pieces of lace that she put together later to make things like napkins and tablecloths.

The hottest days of summer are called the dog days of summer. In Italian, the expression is La canicola estiva. In this Youtube video find out reason why! Hint: it has something to do with the brightest star in the summer sky - Sirius AND the ancient Romans!

For text and translation visit: www.studentessamatta.com

To find out more about my Italian language Immersion programs in Italy for 2019 visit: https://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-language-immersion-programs-italy/

Last week my friend Danielle Palermo from Sicilia came to visit me. Our last day together, we decided to roll up our sleeves and cook an Italian meal together. Not just an Italian dinner, however, as Daniele corrected me — a Sicilian meal! He decided to prepare for me Arancine and Sfingi for dessert.

Visit: www.StudentessaMatta.com for more details

Italian expressions that have to do with food and wine!

Visit the StudentessaMatta.com website for more information, transcriptions and text in Italiano and English. http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-food-idioms-detti-cibo-italiano/

For information about Melissa's programs to learn Italian in Italy visit: http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-language-immersion-programs-italy/

Interview with Melissa Muldoon - Author of Waking Isabella with Inside Scoop 

Topics of conversation:

• Isabella de Medici
• Research for the book in Arezzo, Italy 
• Giostra del Saracino - Annual Jousting Festival held in Arezzo
• Suppression of Artists and Hitler's Obsession during WWII
• Melissa's Writing Process
• Her Award Winning Italian Language Blog and Immersion Trips to Italy
• Most Rewarding Experience as an Author

Mattiniero vs Nottambulo: What kind of person are you? Are you a morning person or an evening person? I just created subtitles in Italian! Yay! turn on the captioning button to see the Italian words! For more information, language learning tips and translations check out the Studentessa Matta Blog: www.studentessamatta.com

Chatting in Italian about Carnival, masks and costumes. You can find the post on the StudentessaMatta.com website with English translations.

Studentessa Matta Facebook page to join the conversation group: https://www.facebook.com/studentessamatta

Visit the Matta Blog to learn more about Italian Homestay Language Vacations: http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-language-homestay-vacations/

To Purchase Melissa's novels about Italy: visit Amazon
Dreaming Sophia:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0997634804?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=0997634804&linkCode=xm2&tag=diariodiunstu-20

Waking Isabella: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0997634820?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=0997634804&linkCode=xm2&tag=diariodiunstu-20

Andare a Cavallo - taking a ride on the beach on a horse in Half Moon Bay in California. Learn new Italian vocabulary for things that have to do with horses and their gear. Follow along as I talk about my weekend adventure on horseback. Visit the Matta Blog to read the transcript in Italian and English. http://www.studentessamatta.com/andare-cavallo-riding-horse-beach-useful-horse-lingo/

Join me in Arezzo in September 2018 for Italian Language Immersion and participate in the Medieval Jousting Festival! To sign up and reserve a spot visit: http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-immersion-tuscany-italy-arezzo/

Colorful Italian idioms that have to do with animals. Italian expressions to help make your conversation more lively and make you sound more like an Italian native. For the written transcript visit the StudentessaMatta.com blog. http://www.studentessamatta.com/moglie-buoi-dei-paesi-tuoi-italian-idioms-modi-di-dire/

Want to immerse in Italian language and culture, join me in September in Arezzo for a small group language program. Details on the Studentessa Matta blog: http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-immersion-tuscany-italy-arezzo/

Come along with me as I recap my recent stay in Arezzo. Here are the highlights from the language program which I co-lead with Paola Testi of Cultura Italiana language school for foreigners. Highlights include: the Giostra that occurs the first weekend in September, a trip to Cortona and Anghiari and the Porchetta Sagra in San Savino.

To sign up for the next 2018 Arezzo Language Program visit: http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-immersion-tuscany-italy-arezzo

For transcript & translation of this video visit the Matta Blog: http://www.studentessamatta.com/arezzo-italian-language-program-learn-italian-cultura-italiana-melissa-muldoon/

Buon Anno 2018! Ways to say Happy New Year in Italian and chatting about the past year and what is happening my Matta world coming in 2018. Trips, travels, Italians studies, Novels about Italy, and an Italian New Year poem by Gianni Rodari. Translations on the Matta blog at http://www.studentessamatta.com/benvenuto-2018-italian-new-year-greetings/