Word of the Day – Lenzuolo

Lenzuolo = Sheets A prettier word in Italian than the actual object.  Well,  that is if they are just polyester and not the 800-count combed Egyptian cotton.  And I do like really good sheets.  Definitely something worth indulging in.  Oprah was right.  Here in Tuscany, it is a good idea to have a second set [...]

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Word of the Day – Lascia

Lascia – This is what you would say to somebody that is 70+ years old and making you look bad by doing some type of difficult task that somebody as able-bodied and as young as yourself should be doing instead.   If you don’t say “Lascia!”, you will feel copious amounts of guilt for being such a slacker. [...]

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Word of the Day – Assicurazione

Assicurazione  - And yet another mouthful for me.  Don’t leave home without it!  And don’t waive it (espcially the CDW) when renting a car in a foreign country.  No matter where you are, this is the word that you will hear the most frequently after an accident.  That is right after “Colpa”, which seems to [...]

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Word(s) of the Day

Accidenti = “Darn it!” Incidente = Accident Use in a sentence:  Accidenti!  Io ho avuto un incidente! “Darn it!  I had an accident! Confusing, huh?

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Word of the Day – Allora

Allora – This is a mystical word.  Every time somebody begins a sentence with “Allora”, I expect a magic act to start.  Truth is, “Allora” is kind of like a filler word.  A kind of “So then…” or “Well, then…”  Which does not sound as alluring as saying “Allora…”  Allora just kind of rolls and [...]

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Word of the Day – Sporco

Sporco -  It sounds like a combination spoon and fork, but only if it is a dirty one.  At Mt. Etna in Sicily we saw many plastic utensils discarded in the lava fields making one think you would say “There’s a bunch of Sporcos” but no, actually you should say “It is all sporco because of [...]

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Word of the Day – Colomba

Colomba – Not Colombo, the detective wearing the rumpled trench coat, but colomba.  A dove.  And more importantly, the traditional cake served during Pasqua or Easter in the shape of a dove. Generally a cake similar to the Christmas Pannetone, but there are several varieties out there now in various flavors.  I bought mine, as [...]

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Word of the Day – Tovagliolo

Tovagliolo – Napkin.  This word for a simple napkin is quite a mouthful.  Once you get through the pronunciation of all those vowels and stop tripping on your tongue, you’re going to need one to wipe your mouth off.  How something that is used to merely collect the gunk that collects on your face and [...]

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Word of the Day – Sfuso

Sfuso – Alone, it means “unpacked” or “loose” but when used in conjunction with oil or wine, it means “Bulk” as in bulk wine.  Vino sfuso.  This is how I like to buy my olive oil or wine.  In Bulk.  I also just love to say sfoooooo-szo.  I like a lot of those “Sf” words.  [...]

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Word of the Day – Il Peggio

Il Peggio – (Pay-gee-oh)  The worst Used in a sentance:  Il pranzo al Diario e’ il peggio.  The lunch at Il Diario is the worst.

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