My New 3rd Language

Because I want to return to Italy hopefully next Summer, I thought it a great investment in my time to learn some Italian. Having grown up knowing how to communicate in Spanish, it really helps to understand this new language. When David and I were there last year to pick up Tigist and celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, we picked up enough to eat and shop, but now I really want to be able to speak it.
It is such a beautiful language to speak ... wanna join me? Here is our first lesson. Break this into 5 lessons, study them Monday through Friday and try so speak it on the weekend. It'll be fun.

Ciao
I have a message below for you. Can you figure out what it says?

Ciao gli amici, lei amerebbe unirmi in italiano di cultura? Fare un commento di sotto se lei è così so chi lei è.

Sinceramente, Lisa

yes - si - (see)
no - no - (noh)
excuse me - mi scusi - (mee skoo-zee)
hello - buon giorno - (bwon jor-noh)
goodbye - arrivederci - (ah-ree-vuh-dare-chee)
thank you - grazie - (grah-tsee-eh)
yesterday - ieri - (ee-air-ee)
today - oggi - (oh-jee)
tomorrow - domani - (doh-mah-nee)
what? - quale? - (kwal-eh)
where? - dove? - (doh-ve)
The Shopping Phrases - You cannot go to Italy without a little shopping. After all, Italy is one of the leading fashionable cities in the world.
How much does this cost? - Quante’e, per favore? - (kwan-teh pair-fuh-vor-eh)
What time do you close? - A che ora chiude? - (ah keh or-ah kee-yoo-deh)
I am just looking. - Sto soltanto guardando. - (stoh sol-thahn -toh gwar-dan-doh)
I would like... - Vorrei - (vor-ray)
Do you accept credit cards? - Accettate carte di credito? - (ah-che-tah-the kar-teh dee creh-dee-toh)
The Restaurant Phrases - Naturally, you will want to dine out to taste authentic Italian cuisine while you are there, so these phrases should help you order and decode the menu.
breakfast - colzaione - (koh-lah-tsee-oh-neh)
lunch - pranzo - (prawn-tsoh)
dinner - cena - (che-nah)
waiter - cameriere - (cah-mair-ee-air-eh)
dessert - il dolce - (eel dole-che)
carbonated water - l’acqua minerale gassata - (lah-kwah mee-nair-ah-leh gah-zah-tah)
non-carbonated water - l’acqua minerala naturale - (lah-kwah mee-nair-ah-leh na-too-rah-leh)
garlic - aglio - (ah-lee-oh)
steak - la bistecca - (lah bee-steh-kah)
coffee - il caffe - (eel kah-feh)
cheese - il formaggio - (eel for-mah-joh)
ice cream - il gelato - (eel jeh-lah-toh)
milk - il latte - (eel lah-the)
bread - il pane - (eel pah-neh)
knife - il coltello - (eel kol-tell-oh)
fork - la forchetta - (lah for-ket-tah)
spoon - il cucchiahio - (eel koo-kee-eye-oh)
Numbers - If you know any Spanish, you may see many similarities in the way the Italian numbers are spelled and pronounced.
one - uno - (ooh-noh)
two - due - (doo-eh)
three - tre - (treh)
four - quattro - (kwa-troh)
five - cinque - (cheen-kweh)
six - sei (say)
seven - sette - (seh-teh)
eight - otto - (oh-toh)
nine - nove - (noh-veh)
ten - dieci (dee-eh-che)
twenty - dodici - (doh-dee-chee)
thirty - tredici - (treh-dee-chee)
forty - quattordici (kwah-tor-dee-chee)
fifty - quindici - (kwin-dee-chee)
sixty - sessanta (seh-sahn-tah)
seventy - settanta - (seh-tahn-tah)
eighty - ottanta - (oh-tan-tah)
ninety - novanta - (noh-vahn-tah)
one hundred - cento - (chen-toh)
Time Phrases
one hour - un’ora - (oon-oh-rah)
one minute - un minuto - (oohn mee-noo-tah)
Monday - lunedi - (loo-neh-dee)
Tuesday - martedi -(mar-teh-dee)
Wednesday -mercoledi - (mair-koh-leh-dee)
Thursday - giovedi - (gee-oh-veh-dee)
Friday - venerdi - (ven-aire-dee)
Saturday - sabato - (sah-bah-toh)
Sunday -domenica - (doh-men-ee-kah)

Wine, anyone?

Is 4:15 in the afternoon too early to pop open a bottle of wine? Oooopsies ... too late!

Crash Course in Life Lessons

I don't think I've ever had a year like this one. So much has happened in every area of our life, some too long to post, some too personal and lots of things thrown in just for good poignant measure. They say God laughs at our plans ... He reminded me quite frankly this year.

Who needs to pay for counseling or therapy when if you listen closely and read between the lines, you can learn some of the most profound lessons you'll need.

In the end, I love that my mind is open to whatever lies ahead and I'm prepared, in only how I know to be, and that there is always something unexpected around the corner full of surprise and wonder as well.

I hope you are all well and prepared for life's wonderful expected and unexpected expectations.

Deep breath

Denver's Hidden Gems ... Snooze!

We stumbled upon this really fantastic restaurant popular for their breakfasts, pancakes and long waits. They say it's worth it ... my take, I waited for quite a while now twice, so I guess it is worth the wait.

www.snoozeeatery.com Apparently there are several locations and a new one even closet to me. But any reason to get into the city is fine by me. Back in L.A. to get into the city I had to make a day out of it only because of traffic to and from even though "as the eagle flies" it's only 25 min. drive into downtown L.A. But my new city affords me so many more trips into town and I'm always finding new cool places to jot down and try again next time I'm in town.


I know if a place is worth it by how nice the coffee is. I've GOT to have my morning coffee, so that is how I rate places for breakfast. This place is coffee-worthy!




Inside is really cool ... there are 2 sections, front and back. Truly contemporary decor and the place very trendy.



The waiting area that surprisingly is clear at this time. David and I just left eating breakfast, so I think it's really trendy for mornings mostly. I would highly recommend breakfast here.



Just a reminder of our Tuscan trip last year and the acres and hills filled with gigantic sunflowers. This little corner around Snooze was only a tast of Italy though. (Sigh)