Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
One common man's views on a variety of topics based on his life experiences!
How to become a Wine Connoisseur.
If you're an oenophile (a lover of wine), you're probably wondering what's keeping you from becoming a true connoisseur. Luckily, you don't have to be a wine-maker or have a basement cellar in order to appreciate fine wine. With a notebook and a few bottles handy, you'll be well on your way.
Building Your Wine Know-How Drink wine with the 4 S's in mind. Even if you don't know much about wine, you probably know that there's a certain way you're supposed to drink it. Truly, you can drink it however you want – but to get the most out of its aroma and taste, a legitimate art has been formed. Here are the basics in four steps:
Know your tannins and terroir. Oenophiles and connoisseurs will throw around the term "tannin." This is a textural element of wine that makes it "dry." Try a very "dry" wine, and you'll get the sense for what this word means (obviously any liquid isn't actually dry). Tannins are naturally occurring in grapes (and bark and wood and leaves, actually) and they add a bitterness, astringency, and complexity to a wine's flavor. For the record, this applies mostly to red wines.
Get your temperatures right. Each type of wine should be served at a slightly different temperature for its best taste to surface. Here's what you should know before you throw that wine-tasting gala and invite all your friends over to your house:
Use the right glass. Each type of wine does best in a certain size and shape of glass to open up their aroma to the fullest. To do your wine justice, put it in the right glass:
Know how to hold the glass, too. You will never be mistaken for a wine connoisseur if you're holding your glass incorrectly. To look like an expert, holding and swilling wine like it's your job, make sure to hold the glass by its stem. This goes double for white wines that are chilled – you don't want the heat of your hands warming the bowl, altering the taste.
Familiarize yourself with how to describe a wine's aroma. Being a wine connoisseur is mainly about being able to describe what you're tasting and recognize what's happening on your palette. To get at a wine's aroma, there are generally five categories: fruity, mineral, dairy and nutty, sweet and wooden, and spicy and savory. Here's what "flavors" fall under each:
Cultivating a Taste Go to a wine shop and ask the staff for recommendations. Look for bottles of wine with write-ups near them, award citations and high magazine ratings. Try to go when you know the store is holding a tasting with samples – for many, this is on Saturday mornings. Pick the staff's brains – what are their favorites and why?
Attend a local wine tasting or a wine appreciation class. These are held at adult schools, wine-making schools, wineries, and fine restaurants. Don't feel intimidated – many people who think they can distinguish between a $2 bottle of dirt and a nice vintage often can't.
Join a wine group. Wine is trendy. There are wine bars, wine stores, wine newsletters, and even wine podcasts. Finding a group of wine-lovers in your area is probably much easier than you think it is. Finding like-minded people who have connections and know what's going on in the area is the first step to developing your expertise.
Have an informal tasting at home, a friend's house, or a BYOB restaurant where each person brings a different bottle of wine. This way you can taste a bunch of different things without spending a lot of money. And, not to mention, you get a great deal of wine experience (and wine!).
Developing Your Palette Start exploring wine varieties. Many people start with a fruity white white that is subtle in flavor and some happen to stop there. You probably have a couple of wines that you know are safe – so start branching out! Move onto rose wines, and start busting into reds with a vengeance. Even if you don't like it, now you know if you like it or not.
Find your "Aha!" wine. Plenty of people spend years in the realm of, "Oh, I don't really care for robust reds," or "Moscato is just too sweet," and their expertise and understanding stops there. And then bam – an "aha" wine hits. It's that wine where you can actually taste the cedar, or the smoke, or the chocolate. All of a sudden, you get it. And how do you find your "aha" wine? Trial and error.
Start researching. Now that you've got your feet wet, start going outside of your own circle for information. Read books and blogs on wine. Try The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by Tom Stevenson or wineeducation.com, where you can even take quizzes on your growing wine knowledge. Purchase wine guides. Subscribe to wine magazines. The possibilities are almost endless.
Get bolder and bolder. So you've got the taste of a Pinot Grigio down. You know the difference between a good Merlot and a good Cabernet. But there's so much more to it than that. You've done the basics, so let's get bold. Here's a few to try:
Becoming a True Connoisseur Start widening your "wine-describing" vocabulary. The difference between someone who loves wine and someone who is a wine connoisseur is largely the fact that they can confidently talk about it to others (and accurately, to boot). Here's a few goals to hit when describing your next few glasses:
Try sparkling wines, ice wines and dessert wines. You've gone bold, now let's go a bit off the main path: try other wines, like sparkling, dessert, and ice wines (ice wines are made from grapes that have experienced a frost). They're not the wines you'll be experiencing with a main course at a 5-star restaurant, but they're important nonetheless.
Learn about different grape varieties. Traditionally fine wine was made from mainly French grape varieties, but now a much wider range of grape varieties are being used. Wineries are popping up all over the place, and the "terroir" of your average grape is changing. How do you feel about each region and variety?
Go back to the basics. Now that you're a world traveler when it comes to wine, go back to the very first wines you tried. There will be such difference you'll wonder who the person was that tasted it originally, or how it's possible the wine has completely morphed – but it's undeniable that it has. Take that basic Chardonnay that's been sitting in your cupboard and take a sip, basking in your progress.
Look for a wine school in your area. Most host courses or tastings, offering you some sort of "certificate" or "accreditation" upon finishing. Local adult schools and restaurants also hold wine appreciation classes. When people ask if you know wine, you can mention that you've even studied it.
Take the Court of Masters test. In America, to be a master sommelier, you need to take the Court of Masters test. There's a course you can take (you have to apply), though you can take the test without taking the course. This is as high as you can get in the wine world – and it comes with quite the badge of respect.
"Parliamo Italiano" - Events & Meetups.Language Exchange.Do you want to practice a foreign language and have the opportunity for a real language and cultural exchange? We are a group of people that get together to practice and work on languages! Join us at our weekly language exchange meetings to brush up on a foreign language and learn something completely new about another culture!
Our members split into smaller practice groups to improve their French, Italian, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and many other languages, and you can also help other members to improve in your native language and learn your culture! We will also have other evening and cultural events such as ethnic restaurant events, cultural activity events, cultural related classes, outdoor picnics and happy hours to promote language practice and cultural exchange!Dinner Parties.Welcome to our group. We're a dining and discussion group that meets regularly for dinner and interesting conversation. The group was started to bring together people who like dining together and having the kinds of discussions they don't get enough of elsewhere. Our dinners are held at low key restaurants that have good food and facilitate good group communication. In addition, we may also go to movies, lectures, or other events that engender thoughtful discussion at a restaurant afterwards. Our events won't necessarily have a particular discussion topic, but an "ice breaker" question may be suggested as a way of introducing yourself to the group. … Let's meet strangers and acquaintances during intimate dinners and make new friends in this great city we live in. Let's travel, dine, drink wine, watch movies, and cook together. Let's share life experiences and meet similar minds. Let's give back to the community and have fun doing it. I hope to meet with you soon! Let's just make it easy, dinner, brunch, drinks, wine tasting, happy hours, make new friends, meet new people! I'm originally from Italy and want to try out as many of the best restaurants with other foodies like me. I actually like having great conversations with all our members new or regular does not matter. The events are mostly small enough to make it easy to get a table and intimate enough to really get to know each other. So invite your friends to join us and help make this group great! Don’t forget, your suggestions are always welcome, so feel free to share your thoughts with us.Wine Tasting.This meetup group has been created for like minded people to get together and enjoy wine. The true essence is to have fun, enjoy meeting new people that have a similar interest and taste new wines. You do not need to be a wine expert just someone that enjoys wine and socializing. Let's explore wines together through wine tasting, wine route tours, visiting wineries, discussions. All you need to do is to appreciate wine, share your thoughts/wine recommendations with us. All wine lovers are welcome, from new bouquet-sniffers to educated connoisseurs. This group is for people who enjoy wine! Whether you are a novice or an expert we are looking to get together with people who appreciate and want to continue learning more about our passions...wine! The goal is to have at least one event per month where we come together to try new and interesting wines from all over the world, hopefully pair them with some fun foods, and enjoy some great conversations with fellow wine lovers. Every meet up will be a fun, interactive, and affordable way to meet new people, try some great wines, and learn some fun facts. So if you like wine and you like meeting new people then this group is for you! Hope to see you at the next meet up.Group Cooking.This group is for people who love to cook good food - or would like to learn how - in a group setting! We meet at a host's house (anybody can host - we'll do this in turns, but no obligations) and each person brings ingredients for and cooks a part of the meal (appetizer / entree / dessert). Cookware is provided by the host. We will do this by theme - Italian, Indian, 15-minute-or-less, French, Mexican, Dessert only, and any others that members suggest. We then pair the food with great wine and have a nice dinner party! Cooks can bring one non-cook person as well to each event. And hosts can add to the dinner party if they like - dinner party games, music,or even a movie night post-dinner. We plan to have many fun dinner party nights and to making some great new friends! This is a great way to indulge in your passion for cooking or to just learn how to cook something new - all while having a fun time! Are you an adventurous cook who likes exploring new recipes? Do you enjoy trying the great foods of the country and the world? Are you open to sharing your culinary creations with other adventurous diners? Would you enjoy hosting dinner parties, especially if the guests do most of the cooking? Is so, then this meetup group might be for you. We would like to organize dinner parties, rotating the venue amongst the members' homes. The size of the party will depend on the space that a host has available. Each dinner party will be a themed dinner, with the host choosing a cuisine from a particular region of the U.S. or the cuisine of another country. Participants would research recipes, cook together or bring a dish prepared by them, consistent with the theme, and a bottle of wine or other theme appropriate beverage to share. We will have a dinner party every four to six weeks depending on the enthusiasm of the members and the availability of hosts. The group welcomes couples and singles. The only requirement is a willingness to create and share good food with good company. Cocinar y Socializar
Interesados en disfrutar del arte de cocinar, pasar de un buen rato cocinando, relacionarse, aficionados a la cocina, cocinar en parejas. Este es un grupo para todos los amantes de la cocina, a los que disfrutan comiendo bien o quieren aprender a cocinar, para cualquier nivel. Divertirse creando platos diferentes, sanos y deliciosos o con una buena comida casera. Estoy seguro que será agradable y divertido. Además, ¿quieres conocer nuevas personas y hacer amigos con tus mismas aficiones?. Esta es una buena oportunidad para ti. Cocinar es una de las grandes pasiones en la vida. En este meetup podrás descubrirlo. Para todas aquellas personas que les gusta la gastronomía, cocinar y conocer gente de una forma divertida. La idea es cocinar en grupo y quedarnos a cenar lo preparado! Cocinando entre Amigos Es uno de los momentos perfectos de la vida: cocinar entre amigos. Un plan que empieza escogiendo el menú . O no, porque siempre está el amigo al que le gusta organizar, o el que quiere probar algo nuevo, y los demás se apuntan. La compra es más divertida cuando es en grupo. Distribuirse para comprar los diversos ingredientes, o discutir sobre cuáles llevarse. Suele ser el momento en que todos saben cómo hacerlo. Si se aprovecha el rato de la compra para hacer una parada a por un vermut, mejor que mejor. Y ya de vuelta a la casa en que se cocina. Una copa de vino o una cerveza, unos minutos de descanso y charla, hasta que alguien se levanta dispuesto a empezar con los pasos previos a toda cocina: pelar y cortar, o hacer un caldo, o adobar una carne o un pescado. Asoman los olores que tan buen ambiente crean. Alguien pone música. Quizás uno organiza a los demás. O cada quien hace lo que le apetece, y el plato se va realizando mediante una autorganización improvisada. Qué tentación bromear sobre la pericia de los demás. Qué arte tienen algunos. Los aromas de un plato que ya empieza a maridar ingredientes crean conversaciones especiales. Como el hecho de trabajar con las manos, cortar con cuidado, vigilar el punto de cocción, remover los ingredientes en la sartén, esuchar el chup chup. Antes de que el plato esté listo, ya lo hemos disfrutado con todos los sentidos. Experiencia Gastronómica Este grupo ha sido creado por y para gente que ama la cocina y todo lo relacionado con ella. Soy una viajera apasionada que disfruta el intercambio cultural, compartir con amigos y todas esas actividades relacionadas con el acto esencial y maravilloso de comer. Me motiva la organización de encuentros enriquecedores que inviten a celebrar dos de los mejores regalos de la vida: la comida y la amistad. Sois más que bienvenidos a participar en los eventos de este grupo: charlas, catas, clases de cocina, etc. Tengo entusiasmo y muchas ideas para hacer de cada actividad una experiencia única de aprendizaje y diversión. ¿Queréis conocer gente y hacer nuevos amigos mientras disfrutáis de buena comida y bebida? Este grupo es una buena oportunidad para hacerlo. This group has been created for and by people who love food and everything about it. I am a passionate traveler who enjoys cultural exchanges, sharing with friends, and all activities that involve the essential and wonderful act of eating. I feel very motivated to organize enriching meetings which allow us to celebrate two of the best of life's gifts: food and friendship. So you are more than welcome to join all the events of this group, such as tastings, cooking lessons and talks. I have many ideas in mind and I´d love to make them a unique experience of learning and fun. Do you want to meet new people and make new friends, while you learn and enjoy delicious food and drinks? This group is a good opportunity to do it. Dinner Parties Welcome to our group. We're a dining and discussion group that meets regularly for dinner and interesting conversation. The group was started to bring together people who like dining together and having the kinds of discussions they don't get enough of elsewhere. Our dinners are held at low key restaurants that have good food and facilitate good group communication. In addition, we may also go to movies, lectures, or other events that engender thoughtful discussion at a restaurant afterwards. Our events won't necessarily have a particular discussion topic, but an "ice breaker" question may be suggested as a way of introducing yourself to the group. … Let's meet strangers and acquaintances during intimate dinners and make new friends in this great city we live in. Let's travel, dine, drink wine, watch movies, and cook together. Let's share life experiences and meet similar minds. Let's give back to the community and have fun doing it. I hope to meet with you soon! Let's just make it easy, dinner, brunch, drinks, wine tasting, happy hours, make new friends, meet new people! I'm originally from Italy and want to try out as many of the best restaurants with other foodies like me. I actually like having great conversations with all our members new or regular does not matter. The events are mostly small enough to make it easy to get a table and intimate enough to really get to know each other. So invite your friends to join us and help make this group great! Don’t forget, your suggestions are always welcome, so feel free to share your thoughts with us. Wine Tasting This meetup group has been created for like minded people to get together and enjoy wine. The true essence is to have fun, enjoy meeting new people that have a similar interest and taste new wines. You do not need to be a wine expert just someone that enjoys wine and socializing. Let's explore wines together through wine tasting, wine route tours, visiting wineries, discussions. All you need to do is to appreciate wine, share your thoughts/wine recommendations with us. All wine lovers are welcome, from new bouquet-sniffers to educated connoisseurs. This group is for people who enjoy wine! Whether you are a novice or an expert we are looking to get together with people who appreciate and want to continue learning more about our passions...wine! The goal is to have at least one event per month where we come together to try new and interesting wines from all over the world, hopefully pair them with some fun foods, and enjoy some great conversations with fellow wine lovers. Every meet up will be a fun, interactive, and affordable way to meet new people, try some great wines, and learn some fun facts. So if you like wine and you like meeting new people then this group is for you! Hope to see you at the next meet up. Group Cooking This group is for people who love to cook good food - or would like to learn how - in a group setting! We meet at a host's house (anybody can host - we'll do this in turns, but no obligations) and each person brings ingredients for and cooks a part of the meal (appetizer / entree / dessert). Cookware is provided by the host. We will do this by theme - Italian, Indian, 15-minute-or-less, French, Mexican, Dessert only, and any others that members suggest. We then pair the food with great wine and have a nice dinner party! Cooks can bring one non-cook person as well to each event. And hosts can add to the dinner party if they like - dinner party games, music,or even a movie night post-dinner. We plan to have many fun dinner party nights and to making some great new friends! This is a great way to indulge in your passion for cooking or to just learn how to cook something new - all while having a fun time! Are you an adventurous cook who likes exploring new recipes? Do you enjoy trying the great foods of the country and the world? Are you open to sharing your culinary creations with other adventurous diners? Would you enjoy hosting dinner parties, especially if the guests do most of the cooking? Is so, then this meetup group might be for you. We would like to organize dinner parties, rotating the venue amongst the members' homes. The size of the party will depend on the space that a host has available. Each dinner party will be a themed dinner, with the host choosing a cuisine from a particular region of the U.S. or the cuisine of another country. Participants would research recipes, cook together or bring a dish prepared by them, consistent with the theme, and a bottle of wine or other theme appropriate beverage to share. We will have a dinner party every four to six weeks depending on the enthusiasm of the members and the availability of hosts. The group welcomes couples and singles. The only requirement is a willingness to create and share good food with good company. Idiomas + Cocina
La receta para un aprendizaje lingüístico eficaz: combinar la práctica y el placer de los sentidos. Nuestros programas de Idiomas + Cocina son únicos en su especie. A través de una introducción a las cocinas del mundo, talleres culinarios prácticos y sabrosas degustaciones de productos locales, podrás desarrollar tus habilidades lingüísticas al tiempo que perfeccionas tus talentos culinarios. Si eres amante de la buena comida y te gusta participar en su preparación, te encantará este concepto inédito. Combinadas con cursos de idiomas dinámicos e interactivos, las sesiones culinarias se centran en la diversión y en compartir momentos inolvidables con otros apasionados de la buena mesa ¡procedentes de todos los rincones del mundo! La ocasión perfecta para descubrir la jerga de los "chefs" en el idioma que aprendes, y asentar tus conocimientos lingüísticos de forma duradera. La cocina es también el reflejo de una cultura, un estilo de vida. Al aprender a armonizar los sabores y aromas de la tierra, ahondarás en las tradiciones de tu país de destino. Y como la cocina es un arte que trasciende fronteras, cada participante podrá añadir su toque personal en la preparación, según su origen y gustos ¡Aprovecha la oportunidad de intercambiar tus recetas y consejos culinarios! Italian Conversation & Cooking Group Benvenuti! Estamos formando un grupo para todos los que quieran aprender o seguir aprendiendo italiano a través de conversaciones. Misión del grupo es promover la apreciación de la lengua y cultura italiana a través de conversación en lengua italiana, clases de cocina, el cine, el arte, la música, la literatura, degustación de vinos, los deportes, los viajes y el compromiso social. Voy a ayudar a la gente con un fuerte interés en Italia se conectan entre sí, tanto en línea como en persona. Sólo hay un secreto para aprender a hablar con fluidez otro idioma: practicarlo todas las veces que puedas, lo más que puedas y con quien puedas! Un intercambio de idiomas es mucho más eficaz que una clase de lengua tradicional, ya que se trata de una reunión informal, donde puedes conversar libremente sin estrés por una evaluación formal. Por esta razón aprovecha la oportunidad de practicar en un entorno relajado y agradable! No es necesario tener un alto nivel, sólo hace falta tener ganas de lanzarse y no tardarás en ver los resultados. Tendrás la posibilidad de hablar con nativos y bilingüe, aprendiendo expresiones formales, como informales, además de hacer nuevos amigos y al mismo tiempo aprender sobre diferentes culturas. Te esperamos. ¡Hasta pronto! Organizamos actividades tanto en Monterrey, N.L. como en Houston, TX. Este es tambien un grupo para todos los amantes de la cocina, a los que disfrutan comiendo bien o quieren aprender a cocinar, para cualquier nivel. Divertirse creando platos diferentes, sanos y deliciosos o con una buena comida casera. Estoy seguro que será agradable y divertido. Además, ¿quieres conocer nuevas personas y hacer amigos con tus mismas aficiones?. Esta es una buena oportunidad para ti. Cocinar es una de las grandes pasiones en la vida. En este meetup podrás descubrirlo. This meetup group is for anyone who likes Italy and the Italian culture - and who doesn't? Italy is so easy to love! Although it's called the Italian Language group, a lot of our members don't speak Italian - they just celebrate Italian culture. That means that non-Italian speakers are welcome to join us at events! If you want to practice your Italian, you're encouraged to, but it's not necessary. (The only events where it is necessary are the "Cena in Italiano" dinners and "Parliamo Italiano!" events, where we get together and practice the language.) This group offers both social events (house parties, dinners, cooking workshops, meal sharing and wine tasting) and Italian conversation. You'll meet people who are interested in language, travel, cooking, and good food & wine; it's an interesting and fun group of people who are very welcoming. Newcomers will feel welcome, so please join us! This group is open to anyone who wants to make connections with others who share your same interests ....Language, Cooking, Travel, Social, Culture. If you don't live nearby, you are still welcome to join to chat with others by Skype, email, Google groups or other means...and we will help you make those connections. "If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him...the people who give you their food give you their heart." - Cesar Chavez The objective of the group is gathering and meeting new people through the organization of homemade food events (dinner, brunch, BBQ). Our events will feature homemade food sampling prepared by the members of our group (or friends of friends) and will based at members' place or common spaces (i.e. function rooms in residential buildings). The group is open to foodies and amateurs cooks with the goal of finding a good balance for each event, try amazing food, share stories of life, travel and have fun together: this will make everyone happy! The group believes that experiencing different cultures and traditions, meeting new friends, when sitting at the same table, sampling traditional, or ethnic home prepared food from another region, country, state, or local, it is an intimate and rich experience. Cooking together is a great way to learn and share knowledge and to enjoy food and good company. The basic idea is that we cook together, learn together and share great meals with the new friends we have made while toiling over the pots and pans. Even if you can barely boil water, you are welcome at any of the events! Since this is not a class and the host is not an expert, the fees are low, basically covering the cost of ingredients. If you do have skills or knowledge, please pitch in to help your fellow cooks succeed! That's what it's all about. I'm hoping to learn from you, too. Despite these caveats, the food always turns out delicious and the company is great! Please contact me if you have any questions. And if you are interested to improve your Italian language skills, I'll be happy to help you. Get a head start by visiting our conversation group on Skype: rgvlanguages A presto! Benvenuti Italian Language Lovers!!! Benvenuti al gruppo meetup italiano! Se cercate altri che parlano Italiano, avete interesse nella lingua, cultura e tutto quello che e' inerente all'Italia, non avete piu' bisogno di cercare (altrove) - inscrivetevi al nostro gruppo. Non vediamo l'ora di incontrarvi. Welcome to the Italian meetup group! If you are looking for others who speak Italian, interested in the language, culture and all things Italian, you don't need to look any further - join our group. We look forward to meeting you. "Parliamo Italiano!" The Italian Conversation Group. Interested in maintaining your Italian? Consider: "The Italian Language Conversation Group". Our Italian Conversation Group was created for the purpose of maintaining, promoting and increasing the Italian Culture. Our events thrive on the spontaneity, generosity and enthusiasm of our members. Most group members live Houston, McAllen or bordering towns. Meeting attendees have various levels of proficiency; some are quite fluent, while others mostly listen. However, no English or Spanish is spoken, and no lessons are given. There are no assigned books or topics of conversation. Nato come estemporaneo gruppo di conversazione italiana, The Italian Conversation Group è divenuto un punto di riferimento sociale e culturale sia per gli italiani residenti nell’area metropolitana di Houston e McAllen che per americani o stranieri che nutrono un serio interesse per la cultura e per la lingua italiana. Il nostro principale obiettivo è quello di promuovere la cultura e l'uso della lingua italiana, attraverso la conversazione informale, senza quindi l'impegno di abbonamenti, iscrizioni e frequenza di regolari corsi di lingua. The Italian Conversation Group garantisce un dialogo tra italiani e persone residenti in queste aree geografiche, offrendo un luogo che si presta allo scambio di reciproche esperienze e di preziose informazioni socio-culturali riguardanti sia l'Italia che gli Stati Uniti. Esso è pertanto utilissimo sia ai neo-arrivati, che a coloro i quali intendono mantenere vivo il loro interesse o ottenere informazioni su attualità, attività culturali e viaggi. I nostri incontri consentono ai nostri membri di conversare in un'atmosfera tranquilla, rilassata e familiare. Le nostre non sono feste, ma festive riunioni. Alle riunioni si incontra nuova gente, si chiacchiera del più e del meno o, se lo si desidera, di cose serie; si prendono contatti, si fanno nuove amicizie, ci si informa su novità, leggi, servizi, percorsi turistici alternativi, ricette, pubblicazioni, mostre d’arte e attività culturali sia italiane che locali, il tutto assaggiando prodotti e vini italiani e verificando le ottime abilità culinarie di alcuni dei nostri partecipanti. L’atmosfera è rilassata e conviviale. Il nostro gruppo e' frequentato in egual misura da italiani, americani e stranieri provenienti da ogni parte del mondo. Il livello di conversazione non è prestabilito e dipende interamente dall'abilità e dall'esperienza dei partecipanti. Ai nostri incontri la conversazione italiana è d'obbligo. Registratevi al nostro sito. L'operazione é gratuita, e i vostri dati personali non saranno mai resi accessibili ad alcuna entità privata, commerciale o pubblica. Grazie per esservi uniti a noi in questa eccitante avventura. Speriamo d'incontrarvi alla prossima riunione! The Italian Conversation Group began when several friends got together to practice speaking Italian. The group remained fairly small for about a year – in fact, one time only a single person showed up. The gatherings took place in restaurants but when the group grew, it became impossible to manage the meetings and keep our 'ragione d'essere'– converse in Italian – alive. After trying a few more cafés and restaurants, it was decided to attempt a more cordial atmosphere by meeting in private homes. Accessibility to our meetings is defined by one simple rule: as long as the participant makes a sincere effort to speak Italian, s/he is always welcome to join in. In fact, at the meetings we do not speak English, Spanish or other languages. Thus, while we remain open to new members, it is in our sole interest that The Italian Conversation Group does not slip into the format of a generic party. We therefore discourage our members from inviting friends who do not speak Italian. The only reason we feel compelled to formulate these thoughts in English or Spanish is to include in this discourse those individuals whose language skills have not achieved full proficiency. It would be unfair, assuming that everyone approaching our group is capable to discern advanced Italian. We nevertheless hold true our rule: at the meetings, Italian is required and expected. At the meetings, 'italiano' is spoken at all levels. You will fit right in, whether you are capable to set off on a philosophical dissertation, or you need to learn how to order at the restaurant. Members' skills vary from beginners to native speakers. Accompanied by the fine food and wines our members bring, our meetings are the perfect environments for a non-Italian member who is interested in our culture and language to hear the native tongue here, at home. Our members can meet a variety of people who have already developed an interest in our secular traditions and language, and expand their network and acquaintances. Our meetings have become the checkpoint of all the Italians who arrive in Houston or McAllen and the polar information center of anyone who is planning for a trip to Italy. Europeans have fed their nostalgia of the old continent and retrieved those colorful habits and warm hospitality, which are the distinguished marks of the Italian culture. So, next time you plan to make it to an event, pick-up some bread, grab some Italian cheese, or get some tiramisù, sherbet, Nutella or biscotti. Wine consumption has never been a concern as it is done very moderately, convivial style. If you have time, make something you like to cook. Our events thrive on the spontaneity, generosity and enthusiasm of our members. The Italian Conversation Group grows and prospers out of the continuing enthusiasm of our members and the generosity of those who host its meetings. Our mission is to promote an appreciation of Italian language and culture through Italian language lessons, cooking lessons, film, art, music, literature, wine tastings, sports, travel and social engagement. We help people with a strong interest in Italy connect with one another, both online and in person. We're the original Italian language meetup group in our area. Tutti possono aderire al nostro gruppo. Se ci aiuti a crescere... cresceremo insieme! Want to find out more? Check our calendar to see the exact time and location of events and come join us. Read more about our activities. * Quattro chiacchiere tra amici: These bi-weekly events offer the opportunity to practice your Italian with other very friendly and enthusiastic Italian language speakers in a highly informal and comfortable setting. Our group is at all levels of Italian proficiency from beginning to advanced and we all help each other. Parleremo di tutto e di niente, l'importante è stare in compagnia e farsi anche qualche risata. * Cineforum italiano: Italian films are a wonderful way to share an Italian cultural experience. * Let's Travel to Italy: Come experience Italy with our group and create memories that last a lifetime! Our group trips are limited to small groups of travelers. * Tutti a tavola: We offer Italian cooking lessons where you can learn the art and traditions of Italian cooking while speaking Italian. * L'aperitivo italiano: We enjoy Happy Hour events in Italian style. We often celebrate with our friends in the group. Cin-Cin! And it doesn't stop there. We're always looking for new opportunities to socialize while enjoying Italian language and culture. We participate in guided museum tours, lectures, exhibits, street festivals, concerts, sporting events and cultural events at the Italian embassy and other locations. All the events are selected with the Italian and italophile in mind. You'll see the exact time and location for events once you join our group. If you are interested to join this group, please contact: Parliamo Italiano! for further information. Our Events The Italian Language Conversation Group consists of a diverse and friendly group of people who come together to converse in the Italian language. Speaking entirely in Italian is very much encouraged. Most of the people speak at an intermediate or an advanced level. However, there are some native speakers as well as a few beginner. The format for the meetings is open, which means you are free to roam around and speak to whomever you wish about any topic you wish. The more members that you interact with the more you will get to practice speaking in Italian. Some members are more comfortable listening to conversations, while others are more interested in actively participating in a conversation. Please do what makes you feel comfortable. Siete tutti Invitati! Lets Speak Italian! Parliamo Italiano! Meet Italian language and culture lovers in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Come make new "amici", learn and practice the language, be exposed to a different culture, tradition, and cuisine. We look forward to building a solid group that will lead us to nice friendships, theme parties, local outings, cultural trips and most of all lots of listen and talk Italian. All ages and levels welcome! If you are a beginner remember you learn a lot just by listening! Benvenuti! Qui potrete incontrare amanti della cultura e della lingua Italiana in una atmosfera divertente e rilassante. Unitevi a noi per fare nuovi amici, imparare, o far pratica della lingua Italiana rendendovi così disponibili ad una cultura, a tradizioni ed anche perchè no, ad una cucina diversa! Siamo interessati a creare un gruppo che promuova nuove amicizie, feste a tema, gite, e viaggi culturali, ma più che altro ad imparare, ascoltare e parlare Italiano. Il Meetup Italiano non ha restrizioni di età, e tutti i livelli di comprensione sono benvenuti. Se siete principianti, all'inizio potete imparare moltissimo anche solo ascoltando. Be a Host If you're interested in hosting your own event, feel free to contact me or post a suggestion in the group. I'd love to have new event organizers. Please keep in mind that suggested events must be somewhat Italian related, and I reserve the right to remove events that are not. Este es un meetup para gente con inquietudes gastronómicas, aquellos dispuestos a aprender y con ganas de ponerse el delantal y manos a la obra. Aprenderemos distintas técnicas, cocina Italiana y local y a crear platos divertidos, con contrastes de sabor y color. Después de cocinar, nos sentaremos con unos vinitos y nos comeremos lo que hayamos cocinado. Se admiten peticiones de tema y sugerencias varias! Únete a nuestro grupo y participa en nuestros eventos. IMPORTANTE: para este evento habrá una cuota de participación. El precio varia dependiendo del número de participantes y del tipo de comida que vamos a preparar. |
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