Category Archives: Blog

Italian Summer Camp 2021

Spend the summer learning Italian in a unique immersive environment where children make friends and have lots of fun! We are in our 16th year of Italian immersion giving children the unique experience of language, culture and friendship. Children divide their day into several segments that include cooking, art, language learning, sports, and music and dance. Each component provides the campers with a world of Italian culture. Click here to register.

Read why your child should learn a language this summer!

2021 In-Home Small Italian Groups

Want Italian? We’ll bring it to you!
This fall we are offering needs-based, client-centered kids programs in Italian that can be catered to your time and frequency preferences. Your kids can stay active this fall with La Piazza di Carolina’s fun and engaging Italian programs for children ages 3-12.

Create your own groups:

  • Choose who you want in your group, i.e. family, friends, up to 6 campers in a group
  • Choose your own location: Which family is willing to host?
  • Choose your time and frequency, i.e. every day for 2 weeks, once a week for 8 weeks, every other day, etc.
  • email or call us with choices and we will send our instructor to your home/location, wearing a mask and carrying hand sanitizer.
  • We offer reasonable rates.

All groups will engage in age appropriate activities that will facilitate the learning of Italian. Methods will include Italian through art, music, crafts, books, and role-playing.

Call us to arrange your group (914) 262-0945
or email at italobimbi@gmail.com

Asilo italiano – Italian Preschool 2021/22 Enroll Now Open!

Did you know the the brain is NOT neurologically set to learn just ONE language? In fact it has the capacity to learn many languages simultaneously. Studies have shown that speaking two or more languages produces a kind of intelligence that goes beyond language. In fact, speaking two languages fluently transforms the most important operations of the brain in quite ingenious ways. The result is a sharper and more flexible brain.

Young children learn languages best through on-on-one interaction with real people. They also acquire language by living it and talking about important things in their life. At La Piazza di Carolina our classes are kept small so that we may provide that one-on-one experience. We also create an environment that is meaningful and relevant to the young child. Our immersion program is dedicated to channeling bilingualism and aiding the family in their goal to introduce it at a young age. Read more about our program.

Fall Classes Adults – Italiano by Carolina

Buon’autunno! We are offering our adult Italian courses over Zoom this fall, same great material, but just virtual; We get that this format might be new for you, but we have mastered it over the past 6 months, and we will guide you through everything without a hitch.

As always, we are also available as private tutors, for family lessons, or to get you ready for travel to Italy.

See Schedule

Register Here

5 Reasons to Enroll in Italian Camp this Summer!

Summer camp is always a great option for your kids, but have you ever thought about a language learning camp? Not only does La Piazza di Carolina’s summer camp offer all of the fun of an ordinary day camp, but it incorporates learning the Italian language. Your child will gain all of the benefits of learning a new language in an environment that is safe and engaging. Here are a five reasons why you should sign up:

1. Language development

Your child will be fully immersed in the Italian language throughout every activity, learning new vocabulary every day.

2. It’s fun!

Our camp activities include games, songs, arts & crafts, dance, and outdoor play. Snacks are included!

3. New friends

Our campers will be learning and playing together with other children in their age range, they will make many new friends.

4. Communication skills Your child will be learning to express themselves in a new language, they will be able to converse with their fellow campers in a whole new way.

5. Unique Experience Being enrolled in a language camp is a great opportunity for your child because it is a rare and culturally enriching learning experience.

La Piazza di Carolin’s summer camp is a wonderful chance for your child to continue learning over the summer months. There is no stress of homework or sitting in a dull classroom, campers are immersed in a relaxed setting that encourages playful learning.

So why wait? Enroll your child this summer and watch them love learning Italian! 

Register online at www.lapiazzadicarolina.com 

Spring into Italian! Session begins April 1st

Join our 10 week spring session of Italian classes for babies, toddlers, and children 6mo-12yrs. We also do middle and high school tutoring.
At La Piazza di Carolina we pride ourselves on being committed to the Italian language, applying methodologies and philosophies that support a full immersion learning environment with the goal of getting our students to speak, read, write and understand Italian. Check our current class schedule or call (914) 262-0945 for more information. You can register on our secure online form.
Parliamo italiano!

Il presepio napolitano

Molto sentita soprattutto nel meridione d’Italia, la tradizione del presepe che la rappresentazione scenica della nativita’ di Gesu’ Bambino e in quasi tutte le case accanto dell’albero di Natale, lo si prepara con molta cura. Tutta la famiglia partecipa allla sua realizzazione dove oltre alla grotta in cui insieme al bue, all’asinello, a San Giuseppe e alla Madonna viene posto Gesu’ Bambino alla sua nascita’, ci sono anche scene di vita quotidiana come la contadina che munge le caprette, il falegname che pialla il legno, la donna che porta una cesta piena di pane, i bambini che giocano, il vecchierello che fuma la pipa, il pescatore che tira la rete, il tutto illuminato da piccolissime luci che rendono questo piccolo paesello molto suggestivo.
Via San Gregorio Armeno una stradina di Napoli, famosa in tutta Italia dove si costruiscono dei presepi bellissimi e in questo periodo quasi impossibile andarci perche ci sono tantissimi visitatori.

Che gelo!

 

cold-winter

 

Brrr! Il freddo ci ha tenuto in ostaggio! Non si esce di casa in temere di gelare. Qui a New York si subiscono le temperature real-feel sotto 0° F, -16° C.

 

(The cold has taken over! We can’t go out of our houses in fear of freezing over. Here in New York we are experiencing “real-feel” temperatures of below 0°F.)

Santo ghiacciolo! (Holy icicle!)

frozen branch

 

Ma se si dovreste uscire per forza, si consigliato vestirsi con strati di vestiti. Io per esempio mi metto prima pantaloni e camicia termici di seta, poi pantaloni e maglietta con maniche lunghe, poi sopra una maglia di lana, poi un gillet di piume d’oca, e finalmente un giubbotto di piume d’oca sopra. Inoltre, anche mi metto un cappello di pelliccia, sciarpa di lana, guanti di pelle con fodera di cashmere, stivali Uggs, e se riesco poi muovermi con tutta questa roba adosso, esco! Ma chiariamoci bene i miei cari lettori, piu’ probabilmente mi troverete sotto le coperte con telecomando in mano anziché uscire in questo pazzesco freddo!

 

(But if you must go out for sure, it is advised that you dress yourself in layers. For example, I first put on thermal silk underwear, then pants, then a long sleeved knit shirt, on top of that a wool sweater, then a down vest, and finally a down jacket. I also wear a fur hat, a wool scarf, cashmere lined leather gloves and my Ugg boots, and only then if I am able to move with all this stuff on i’ll go out! But let’s be perfectly clear my dear readers, you will most likely find me under my covers with the remote in my hand instead of going out in this crazy cold!)

 

Enjoy some cold-related vocabulary in Italiano

il gelo

 bitter cold

gelare

to freeze

il ghiacciolo

icicle/popsicle

i pantaloni termici

thermal underwear

le  maniche lunghe long sleeves
la maglia di lana wool sweater
il gillet vest
le piume d’oca down feathers
il giubbotto jacket
la pelliccia fur
il cappello hat
la sciarpa scarf
la fodera lining
gli stivali boots
la neve snow

Granturco, Maize, or Pannocchia?

Corn is a human invention, believed to be originally cultivated in Central Mexico, where it is referred to as maize. The Indians througout North and South America depended upon this crop for most of their food. It eventually reached the Eastern part of North America about 1000 years ago.

When the first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 corn would have certainly been part of the menu, but cranberry, sweet potates and pumpkin pie most likely would not have been on the table.

Maize spread to the West in the 1500’s cultivating early in the Veneto region then arriving in Naples, Italy in the 1600’s. It became the base of the farmer’s food supply, used predominantly in polenta.

There are many terms for corn in Italian and it is my mission here to explain the differences, because I know you’ve been dying to know.

Maize means corn the term used in British English therefore used in Europe (Italy).

Granturco is a name given to corn as a result of improper translation from the English who called it WHEAT OF TURKEY, or grano dei tacchini, because of its resemblance to a turkey’s neck wearing a Turkish turban on its head, which could also be interpreted as grano di Turchia.

Pannocchia di granturcomeans corncob


mais-pianta

Pannocchia (f) pertaining to the cob or ear, is another word for spiga, the female flower head which holds the kernals. It is improperly called pannocchia, which is actually the male flower head.   The cob is the spiga (f) (see below)

Spiga (f) is the female flower head, the cob, which holds the kernals le cariossidi

Pennacchio (m) male flower head at the top of the stalk

stocco/fusto is the stalk or stem fo the corn plant

granturco

So there you have it, your break down of corn in Italian, all just in time for Thanksgiving.

Buone feste!

Ylenia Mino; painting for peace and joy

Ylenia Mino is an Italian artist who has exhibited her art at La Piazza di Carolina. She was born in a small village at the foot of the Italian Alps, and had a strong inclination towards art at a young age. This artist developed her talents working with an Egyptian oil painter and broadened her horizons through classical studies. As she started to emerge with her own style, for which she is quoted in Arte e cultura as “often very close to reality but sometimes they have a touch of impressionism”, Ylenia began to showase her work around the world at different exhibitions. Drawing her inspiration from the works of several well known artists like Van Gogh, Degas, Leonardo da Vinci, and Klimt, she also pulls from the reality of the world around her; landscapes, everyday life, photographs, and her own faith in God. But Ylenia does not only spend time working on her paintings, she is also known to have collaborated with different galleries and support global charities. Her vivid, colorful, and observant work is a true expression of her passion and dedication to bring joy to others through art. 

AMV_20130326_PT-Ylenia-Mino_015-1-2201x1024

To take a look at Ylenia’s work and to learn more about her upcoming exhibitions click here!