Newsgroup: it.cultura
Titolo: virtualitalia.com (october 1998)

VIRTUALITALIA.COM
An online resource for Italians, Italian Americans and enthusiasts of Italian culture.
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Boy have we expanded our recipe section!  Thanks to Alice, who has an
inexhaustible database of recipes, in addition to the monthly Italian meal we
now have the "cooking faq" and a special feature "Alice's Italian Pizza
Lesson".  If you didn't get into flour up to your elbows before, start by
going to our web site and clicking on "recipes".
This month's picks are an Italian acapella CD to get you moving, "Neri per
Caso"  and a novel to curl around warm up those cold fall afternoons, "Rules
of the Wild" (I couldn't put it down). Details in the "music" and "books" sections.
Finally, this month we have a very special holiday October 12th, Columbus Day!
 Don't miss the Italian Heritage Parade where everyone is 100% Italian for a
few hours.  The parade used to be called Columbus Day Parade but had it's name
changed for the sake of political correctness.  
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SAN FRANCISCO, BAY AREA EVENTS
Here are a few suggested events to attend, see a complete detailed listing (of
almost daily Italian-centric events) visit the web site at
http://www.virtualitalia.com
, and click on "events"
extended through October 25, Fridays and Saturdays 8:30 pm, Sundays 7 pm,
"Orgasmo Adulto --Escapes from the Zoo", Francesca Fanti performs the work
written by Franca Rame and 1997 Nobel laureate Dario Fo. Four monologues
examine women's issues like abortion, child care, servitude and revenge with a
comic touch. Admission $8-$15.00. At The Marsh, 1062 Valencia St. (between
21st and 22nd sts.) in San Francisco, 
(415) 826-5750
.  
October 1, 6:00 pm, lecture, Humanaties West presents Leonardo da Vinci: The
Original Renaissance Man, A Special free program presented by the Italian
Cultural Institute (
http://www.sfiic.org/
), 425 Bush Street. Reservations
required 
(415) 788-7142 extension 16
. 
October 1, 7:00 pm, film, "Umberto D." directed by Vittorio De Sica (1952),
Part of the Pacific Film Archive's Neorealisim: The Definitive Moment series.
Pacific Film Archive (
http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/pfa/
), 2621 Durant Avenue
in Berkeley. Call 
(510) 642-1412
 (office) or 
(510) 642-5249
 (tickets) for more
information. 
October 3-4, 10:00 am- 10:00 pm, La Madonna Del Lume Celebration Blessing of
the Fishing Fleet Ceremony The Festa of La Madonna del Lume (The Mother of
Light) is one of many traditional celebrations Italian immigrants brought to
the United States. For more information see the North Beach Calendar
(
http://www.sfnorthbeach.com/g49.html)of
 Events and call 
(415) 474-1675
 for
tickets. 
October 3-4, Italian Family Festival, For more information contact the Italian
American Heritage Foundation, 425 North Fourth Street in San Jose (408)
293-7122.Come listen to "Expresso 5", an Italian American band that plays
Italian Rock and traditional music. 
October 5, 6:00 pm, Giacomo Leopardi Celebrations, To celebrate the 200th
anniversary of Leopardi's birth, the Department of Cultural Relations of the
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited renowned Italian poet Paolo
Ruffilli, from the University of Venice, Italy, to come to the Bay Area for a
series of lectures on the famous Italian poet. Tonight, "Leopardi e la poesia
contemporanea" Prof. Paolo Ruffilli will explore the influence of Leopardi on
contemporary poetry. Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny),
San Francisco, 
(415) 788-7142 x16
. 
October 6, 6:00pm, video film, "Senso", directed by Luchino Visconti, Istituto
Italiano di Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny), San Francisco, (415)
788-7142. 
October 6, 6:30 pm, wine dinner, The Pat Kuleto-designed restaurant hosts
monthly Tuesday night wine dinners with Californian and Italian winemakers
throughout 1998. Contemporary, five-course Italian meals prepared by executive
chef Giovanni Pertincone are paired with wines from Beaulieu Vineyards, Atlas
Peak, Trefethen, Ravenswood and other wineries. At Splendido in San Francisco. 
October 8, 7:00 pm, film, "The Flowers of St. Francis" directed by Roberto Rossellini
(1950), Pacific Film Archive, 2621 Durant Avenue in Berkeley. Call (510)
642-1412 (office) or 
(510) 642-5249
 (tickets) for more information. 
October 9-10, Humanites West presents Leonardo da Vinci: The Original
Renaissance Man (
http://www.best.com/~fearless/Leonardo.html
), At the Herbst
Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue (at Macallister) in San Francisco. For tickets
call the City Box Office at 
(415) 392-4400
. 
October 10 3:00 pm, film, "Blood is Not Fresh Water", Mill Valley Film
Festival. 
October 10, 8:00 pm, Italian Film Festival (
http://www.italianfilm.com/
),
"Colpo di Luna" (Moon Shadow),Directed by Alberto Simone, with Mimmo Mancini,
Nino Manfredi (of Bread and Chocolate fame), and Paolo Sassanelli. 1995.
Color. 82 minutes. Tickets and further
information are available from the Marin Center Box Office at 
(415) 472-3500
. 
October 11, 1:30 pm, Italian Heritage Parade, in it's 130th year, the Italian
Heritage Parade is a celebration of North Beach history, from the influx and
settlement of Italians to the nieghborhood, to the lasting legacy of that
cultural influence. Floats will honor Columbus, Queen Isabella of Spain,
Italian fisherman, and many other historical and modern figures as they wind
through the streets of Little Italy. A vintage Ferrari show goes on display in
Washington Square. Begins at Fisherma's Wharf (at Jefferson) in San Francisco.
Call 
(415) 989-6426
 for more information. 
October 12, 1:00 pm, Ciao Columbus! Seniors Cooking Competition, Sponsored by
the Senior Program at Telegraph Hill, this contest is a chance for seniors
with a favorite old Italian recipe to share it with the world. At Cafe
Pescatore, 2455 Mason Street at North Point, in San Francisco. Call (415)
561-1111 for information. 
October 12, 5-8 pm, Columbus Day Wine Tasting, The Consorzio Cal-Italia, a
group of over 50 California wineries producing wines from classic Italian
grape varieties, will hold its second annual Columbus Day tasting in San
Francisco. La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi Winery will be among the wineries
featured. 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To purchase tickets, call 
(707) 968-2344
.
Herbst Pavillion, Fort Mason, Herbst Pavillion, Fort Mason, San Francisco. 
October 13, 6:00 pm, video film, "Una giornata particolare", (A Special Day)
directed by Ettore Scola starring Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren,
Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny), San Francisco,
(415) 788-7142
. 
October 13, 8:00 pm, opera, La Taviata,San Francisco Opera Center's Western
Opera Theater presents Verdi's masterpiece, sung in Italian with English
supertitles. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road (at
Highway 101 River Road exit), in Santa Rosa, 
(707) 546-3600
. 
October 15, 7:00 pm, film, "Il Grido" (The Cry) directed by Michelangelo
Antonioni (1957), Part of the Pacific Film Archive's Neorealisim: The
Definitive Moment series.  Pacific Film Archive, 2621 Durant Avenue in
Berkeley. Call 
(510) 642-1412
 (office) or (510) 642-5249 (tickets) for more
information. 
October 16, golf tournament, For more information contact the Italian American
Heritage Foundation, 425 North Fourth Street in San Jose 
(408) 293-7122
. 
October 17, 9 am, Day Trip to Napa Valley, The day will start with a departure
from San Francisco at 9 a.m. and drive to visit the Di Rosa Preserve, which
includes a 35-acre lake and 53 acres on a former estate and vineyard in the
Napa Valley. The art collection consists of works produced in northern
California during this century, exhibited on the grounds of the preserve. The
visit will be followed by lunch at a local restaurant. The price is $10, with
lunch extra. Sponsored by Italia Oggi, the Museo Italo-Americano group for
people under 40. For information contact the Museo at 
415-673-2200
 by
September 18, which is the reservation deadline. 
starting October 17, "Primo Programma", a multi-sensory program deicated to
teaching children the Italian language and culture. songs, games and art are
incorporated into lessons, and students find the learning process fun and
engaging. Classes are held at the Museo on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 12:00
pm. For more information call Ilia Salomone-Smith at 
(415) 346-9502
. At the
Museo Italo Americano, Fort Mason Center, Building C in San Francisco. 
October 17, 7:00 pm, Italian Film Festival, "Ardena, l'isola che non c'e`"
(Adrena, the Never-Never Land).Gala Presentation of U.S. film debut, plus
musical concert by original sound track composer, Peppino D'Agostino (7:00
p.m.), and personal appearance by film star and director, Luca Barbareschi.
Also with Francesca Antonelli, Isa Barizza, and Arnoldo Fo 1997. Color. 113
minutes. Tickets and further information are available from the Marin Center
Box Office at 
(415) 472-3500
. 
October 18,Sunday Family Dinner, For more information contact the Italian
American Heritage Foundation, 425 North Fourth Street in San Jose (408)
293-7122. 
October 20, 6:00 pm, video film, "I tre fratelli" (Three Brothers), directed
by Francesco Rosi, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny),
San Francisco, 
(415) 788-7142
. 
October 20 - December 19, 6:30-8:30 pm, every Tuesday for eight weeks,
"Andiamo all'Opera", This is an Italian conversation class; the arias from
selected Italian operas as well as their stories will be used as the vehicles
for class conversation. Class work will be devoted to discussing and analyzing
the songs, charachters and the language of the arias. This class is in Italian
and is designed for intermediate students. At Italingua, 425 Bush Street (at
Kearney), 3rd Floor, in San Francisco. Call 
(415) 362-6025
 for information. 
October 21, conversational dinner, Monthly Italian conversational dinner in SF
for the World Affairs Council's International Forum Language Dinner program.
People must be able to speak enough italian to hold a conversation but need
not be member of theWorld Affairs Council to participate. Usually on the third
wednesday of each month at a different Italian restaurants in San Francisco.
Contact Laura Del Rosso (
ldel...@aol.com
) or call 
(415) 386-3224
 for more
information or R.S.V.P. 
October 21, lunch/bingo, For more information contact the Italian American
Heritage Foundation, 425 North Fourth Street in San Jose 
(408) 293-7122
. 
October 22 - December 19, 6:30-8:30 pm, every Thursday for eight weeks, "The
Italian-American Connection", The course will focus on various connections
between Italian and American culture dealing with various topics such as
stereotypes, food, music, and films. There will be some review of grammar as
necessary. The class is conducted in Italian and designed specifically for
advanced students. At Italingua, 425 Bush Street (at Kearney), 3rd Floor, in
San Francisco. Call 
(415) 362-6025
 for more info. 
October 22, 7:00 pm, film, "L'Avventura" directed by Michelangelo Antonioni,
Part of the Pacific Film Archive's Neorealisim: The Definitive Moment series,
Pacific Film Archive, 2621 Durant Avenue in Berkeley. Call 
(510) 642-1412
(office) or 
(510) 642-5249
 (tickets) for more information. 
October 23, 6:15-10:30 pm, Postcards from Puccini, presented in conjunction
with the 11th World of Italian Opera. For more information contact the Italian
American Heritage Foundation, 425 North Fourth Street in San Jose (408)
293-7122. 
October 24 - November 14, 7:00 pm, Don Carlo, The opera by Giuseppe Verdi. A
performance of the San Francisco Opera 1998-99 season. At the War Memorial
Opera House,301 Van Ness Ave. (between Grove and McAllister), in San
Francisco. Call
(415) 864-3330
 for information. 
October 24, 8:00 pm, Italian Film Festival, "Una Casa in Bilico" (The
Tottering House), Directed by Antonietta deLillo and Giorgio Magliulo, with
Riccardo Cucciolla, Luigi Pistilli, and Marina Vlady. 1986. Color. 90 minutes.
Tickets and further information are available from the Marin Center Box Office
at 
(415) 472-3500
. 
October 27, 6:00 pm, video film, "Ladri di saponette", Istituto Italiano di
Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny), San Francisco, 
(415) 788-7142
.
October 28, 6:00 pm, book presentation, "Rules of the Wild" by Francesca
Marciano. At the Rizzoli bookstore, 117 Post Street, San Francisco. For
information call 
(415) 984-0225
. 
October 29, 7:00 pm, film, "Rocco and His Brothers" (Rocco e i suoi fratelli) 
directed by Luchino Visconti (1960), Part of the Pacific Film Archive's
Neorealisim: The Definitive Moment series,Pacific Film Archive, 2621 Durant
Avenue in Berkeley. Call 
(510) 642-1412
 (office) or (510) 642-5249 (tickets)
for more information. 
October 29-November 19, exhibit, Palermo-San Francisco-Palermo, An exhibit of
paintings and photographs by Maurilio Catalano and Luigi Mormino. Sicily
provides the common theme, a colorful and abstract land in Maurilio Catalano's
treatment, strongly contrasting with the very concrete, black and white
variant presented in the work of photographer Luigi Mormino. Opening night
party: Thursday October 29 at 6:00 pm. For reservations call 
(415) 788-7142
x18. Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 425 Bush Street (at Kearny), San Francisco. 
 
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ITALIAN PROVERB
        "Per conoscere un furbo ci vuole un furbo e mezzo."
         To regognize a wise-crack you need a wise-crack and a half.
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