12. The Third Palio (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with Culture Shot! Today we'll talk about one of the most spectacular events in Italy: Il Palio di Siena! Kane from England sent us a nice email a few days ago - in the email, Kane says "every year I go to Siena to see il Palio, and I feel it is one [...]
13. My Beautiful Bologna (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with Culture Shot! "Too many people, when they think of Italy, think only of Tuscany, Venice and Rome", says our loyal listener and friend Garret on an email we've received a few days ago, and he goes on: "How about a series of culture shots that explore the culture of the less well-known [...]
14. Brava Gondoliera! (Culture Shot)
Learn how to speak Italian with Culture Shot! Today's episode is about the end of a thousand-year-old Italian tradition. Our friend and listener William emailed us a very interesting article about it -- we are not going to spoil the surprise and tell you what it is before reading the story -- let's just say [...]
15. Cone or Cup? (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! Today's episode is all about... il gelato Italiano! Ice cream represents all over the world one of the most famous Italian traditions. Moreover, summer is almost here, and with summer, at least in Italy, it's "gelato primetime"! What's better than a good ice-cream to begin the summer season? Let's learn all [...]
16. Knock on Wood (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! - "Are Italians superstitious?" That is the question posed by Jeff, one of LearnItalianPod subscribers, on a lovely email that he sent in a few days ago. Dear Jeff, we can certainly say that Italians are, for the most part, extremely superstitious. Today's episode is all about a few of the [...]
17. Spaghetti On A Stamp (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with Culture Shot! "But are spaghetti or not the most famous type of pasta? - And why do Italians like their pasta 'al dente'?" - These are the questions posed by Angela, one of LearnItalianPod's subscriber. Well Angela, just listen to today's story to find out how famous spaghetti have become over [...]
18. An Italian Vacation (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with Culture Shot! Michele, one of LearnItalianPod's subscribers, feels he's finally ready to take a vacation to Italy! He asks: "When do Italians go on vacation? - and where do they go?" - Well Mike, most of Italians go on vacation in August, and they love the beach, the sun, and the sea! [...]
19. Telling A Joke (Culture Shot)
Learn how to speak Italian with LearnItalianPod.com! "But is it true that Italians love very much telling jokes to entertain their guests and friends? - And who's this "Pierino", protagonist of so many Italian jokes?" These are the questions posed by Michelle, one of LearnItalianPod's subscribers. She says she went to Italy, enjoyed every minute [...]
20. Crazy for Limoncello! (Culture Shot)
Learn how to speak Italian with our twentieth Culture Shot! Our friend Elliott from Australia sent us a nice email, all in italian (great job, Elliott!). At some point he says that one of the best drinks he has tasted in Italy is a liquor, usually served after meals, that is called limoncello. He also [...]
21. Goodbye, Luciano (Culture Shot)
Learn how to speak Italian fast and easily! In this episode, Jane and Massimo would like to pay tribute to the late great Luciano Pavarotti. Luciano has represented worldwide the tradition and the art of Italian singing, and has been considered by many "l'ambasciatore della cultura e della musica italiana" (the ambassador of Italian culture [...]
22. Double The Consonant! (Culture Shot)
In this episode we'll talk about something that's very specific to the Italian language, that is, the pronunciation of double consonants. We'll see how to avoid some funny mistakes people can do if they don't pay attention to it. And, to make it "stick", we're going to use rhymes and a little bit of poetry, [...]
23. An All-Italian Kiss (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! In this twenty-third Culture Shot we'll talk about the most romantic chocolate candy in the world: the "Bacio Perugina", literally translated as "the kiss from Perugia"! We'll find out how a simple chocolate candy born with the wrong name made it to become an everlasting Italian icon. We'll also review and [...]
24. The Gentle Language (Culture Shot)
In this episode we'll talk about "the gentle language", the affectionate way Italians call their language. We think everyone agrees that Italian language is surely one of the most musical languages in the world. So, let's learn more about "the gentle language" and let's have fun practicing the italian alphabet, or, as Jane's elementary [...]
25. My Big Italian Wedding (Culture Shot)
Our friend Kelly from New Zealand sent us a wonderful email. She just got married with Paolo, who is from Italy, and their wedding took place in beautiful Sorrento, in Italy. - She says her wedding day was perfect, from the ceremony to the reception. She just didn't know how big weddings can be in [...]
26. The Red from Maranello (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! In this episode, Jane and Massimo would like to pay tribute to one of the major symbols of Italian creativity in the world, a true Italian cultural icon that has represented for decades the image of the perfect fusion of technology and beauty. Also known by enthusiasts all over the world [...]
27. The Historical Regatta (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! This week's episode is about... "one of the most traditional Italian events ever, in one of the most beautiful Italian cities ever!" - The event is the "Venice Historical Regatta", which takes place every year on the first Sunday of September in the beautiful city of Venice. Our longtime friend and [...]
28. The Mama’s Boys (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! This week's episode is about... "the mama's boys!" - Unbelievable but true, eight out of ten Italians aged between twenty and thirty still live at home, and the average age for moving out of the house is... thirty-six! In particular, well grow up men in their late thirties or even forties, [...]
29. The Jackpot Fever (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! This episode is about... winning the "SuperEnalotto jackpot" and become a legend! The SuperEnalotto is the Italian lottery, and that's what 99% of Italians are thinking about this week as a record-breaking prize of one hundred million euros (more or less 140 million US dollars), is up for grabs! They say [...]
30. A Very Expensive Yes (Culture Shot)
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! Laura, a great friend who lives in Florence, Italy, sent us a wonderful email. She says: "I'm about to get married with the love of my life, a nice and charming Italian man, and I couldn't be any happier! But let me tell you... I had no idea a wedding [...]
31. Filastrocca di Babbo Natale (Culture Shot)
The Holidays are upon us and, to get you into the spirit of things, we would love to dedicate today's episode to one of the "all time" symbols of kindness and generosity -- and that is, Babbo Natale! We are going to celebrate Babbo Natale (Santa Claus in English) with a couple of lovely Italian [...]
