August 2010

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August Newsletter
Language Learning Institute

In This Issue
Eleonora’s Secret
Le Gouvernement et Les Nouvelles Françaises
Dine with French Flair
Fall Courses
REGISTER TODAY! Programs for Adults

Join Our Team!
We are a growing and expanding school, specializing in the learning and study of French, Italian and newly added Spanish. We are looking for energetic, enthusiastic and talented people to join our team.

Visit our website for more details.

Join Our Mailing List!
A Special Thank You
Thank you to the businesses which promote the Language Learning Institute!

Ultraviolet Café : Albany, NY, (518) 434-0333

Delaware News: Albany, NY, (518) 465-4232
Java Jazz Café: Delmar, NY, (518) 439-1727
Emack & Bolio’s : Albany, NY Stewarts: Delmar, NY, (518) 439-3280
(corner of Elm and Delaware Ave)

La Serre Restaurant : Albany, NY, (518) 463-6056

The Epicurean Cafe: Troy, NY, (518) 663-8008

Chez Daisie : Schenectady, NY, (518) 344-7082

Stop by and get a good meal, gift, or check out our latest promotional material!

Dear Nancy,
Nancy

I hope that you are all enjoying this wonderful summer weather that we have been having.

Classes officially ended at The Language Learning Institute on Friday, July 23rd, drawing to a close our 2009-2010 academic year. During the month of August we are still conducting private and small group classes. If you, or someone you know, would like private lessons for language improvement or business and travel, call us at 518-346-7096 . We would be glad to set you up with a program that will meet your needs.

Our fall registration is underway. We have new level one classes starting for the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced student in French. There are also French classes already in progress to which new students are invited to join. We are offering our Beginning Italian classes for adults and also have classes in progress that anyone can join, as well as Beginning and Intermediate Spanish.

This fall we are also introducing our “Live on Line with Luisa” Italian Language Program. We will be ready by mid-August to start our private language classes in Italian. In September we will be offering Beginning Italian Class – Level 4 on line from a central location. As the program and our technology develop, students will be able to stay in their own home and take group classes. We are very excited about this venture and we have been working on it for several months.

We are offering Russian this fall as well. For immediate needs, we offer private lessons. We are looking to the fall to offer a Beginning Russian class for adults on Monday evenings in Colonie. We will also be offering Beginning French, Russian, and Ukrainian in our New Paltz location.

La Table Française will not be meeting in August. We are taking the month off and will be back on September 15th for another full filled year! If you speak French, come join us at Chez Daisie on pedestrian Jay Street across from Proctors Theater from 6pm to 8pm. This is a great way to practice what you have learned in class and, if you are a native speaker, it is a great place for you to come and use your native language so that you don’t lose it.

The Language Learning Institute and Shaklee are joining forces to offer our travelers some tips to staying healthy while traveling. Do you often find yourself getting sick from all of the stress of travel? Does the air on planes, busses and trains wear down your immune system? Or the change of food and water have you off balance? Click here to find out how to stay healthy so you can enjoy your trip – http://healthytravels.myshaklee.com.  These handy tips can really make a difference in how you feel during your trip…and most importantly when you get home!

We are constantly updating our website, www.languagelearninginstitute.com, and we invite you to visit it frequently in the next couple of weeks since we will be updating with our new fall course offerings.

I wish you a healthy, happy and safe August and I look forward to seeing you in private lessons in August and back in class in September.

Best regards,

signature

Nancy Scarselletta
Owner/Developer
The Language Learning Institute
518-346-7096

© August 2010, The Language Learning Institute, LLC. All rights reserved

Eleonora’s Secret –  Lago di Bracciano, Lazio – Where fairytales come true

braccianoI always loved fairytales as a little girl, and big castles were always a part of the story.  When I was about ten years old I visited a wonderful castle in Bracciano, where my cousins from Rome had the “country” house.  It was to be the first of many visits to the wonderful area and towns surrounding the Lago (lake) di Bracciano.  Il Lago di Bracciano lies about 21 miles north-west of Rome, it is the second largest lake in the region with a perimeter of about 20 miles, and one of the major lakes of Italy. Three towns border the lake, Bracciano, Anguillara Sabazia and Trevignano Romano.

Bracciano is a characteristic historic town that rises on a hill inhabited since castelloEstruscan ages, with narrow cobblestone paved streets and large staircases framing the majestic Castello Odescalchi and offering an enchanting view of Lake Bracciano. Climbing the lane to the right of the castle walls, visitors will find themselves in a place that time seems to have forgotten.  Bracciano was of great importance during Renaissance period when it was a fief of the Orsini.  In 1696 the town passed to the Odescalchi family. Due to its structural and architectonic characteristics and the excellent state of conservation, it is considered one of the most important castles of Italy.  The castle started by Napoleone Orsini in 1470, was finished in 1485. Inside the castle walls, visitors have the opportunity to admire the Papalina Library and a series of magnificent reception halls, such as the Sala dei Cesari, the Sala degli Orsini and the Sala d’Armi. Also worth visiting,  the castle kitchens in which there is a fascinating collection of old cooking utensils, as well as the secret garden: a hanging garden of 1800 square meters which faces directly on to the lake.  Once outside the castle, walk through the historic center of Bracciano, characterised by its maze of picturesque medieval lanes and alleyways, there are a number of terraces overlooking the lake.  Also visit the two main churches, the Cathedral of Santo Stefano and the Church of Santa Maria Novella, this latter commissioned by the Cardinal Giordano Orsini.

Around Lake Bracciano – Anguillara and Trevignano – If you are spending time in the Bracciano area, consider visiting the other lakeshore towns of Anguillara Sabazia and Trevignano Romano, where I still remember having an amazing lunch on the shores of the lake.

anguillaraAnguillara is picturesquely located on a promontory of the lake, with a fortress, a medieval historic centre and 16th-century town gates, it was a fief of the Anguillara and then of the Orsini. The monumental gate from the 16th century with a clock marks the entrance to a the main square of with the town hall inside the Palazzo Baronale which is decorated by valuable frescoes; the 16th century church Collegiata dell’Assunta has interesting paintings, too. The town is dominated by the beautiful castle of the Orsini of the 15th century.  Around Anguillara the ruins of a huge construction from Roman times: a villa of the 1st  century AD with a wide esedra and a decorated nympheum,  and a villa of the 2nd century AD transformed during the century 8th into the convent of S.Stefano, called the Wall of S. Stefano or “Muracci.”

The charming town of Trevignano Romano, is situated in an area which has been trevignanoinhabited since Etruscan times, now under the name Sabatia, the Latin name of the lake (Sabatinus lacus). Visit the necropolis of Sabatia near Olivetello where artifacts of particular beauty have been recovered in these tombs, now exposed together with other most interesting objects in the “Antiquarium” in the Municipality of Trevignano.  Passing through the gate under the clock you will enter the historical nucleus of the town with its charming old houses and the church of Santa Maria Assunta. Inside you will find a magnificent fresco of 1517 “Transit and crowning of Maria” by an unknown artist.

The beauty of nature and landscape, the historical and cultural heritage and the archaeological and artistic richness – are all ingredients that make Il Lago di Bracciano a great destination for those looking for another hidden treasure in Italy.  I’m so glad that my family took me here as a child and it is a place I continue to visit with my husband and friends.

© August 2010 The Language Learning Institute, LLC. All rights reserved

Le Gouvernement et les Nouvelles Françaises
August is a good month to be French.  The French are required by law to have at least five weeks of paid vacation, and for some lucky workers, eight weeks. Many take several weeks during the month of August before “La Rentree” – the return to school for students and the return to work for adults which occurs in September. While some Parisians may be jetsetting this month, others are staying home and going to the beach. For those who are familiar with French geography, you may be wondering what beach Parisians can get to, since the city is located several hours from the ocean. “Paris Plages” or “Paris Beaches” were opened in late July, when the city brings in over 2,000 tons of sand to put along the banks of the Seine river and the Northern canal system. This annual occurrence lasts for several weeks in August, and it allows those who cannot afford to travel a chance to spend time relaxing. Parisians enjoy not only the sand and sun, but also free refreshment stands, lounge chairs, and umbrellas. Because the city government advises not to swim in the river, they set up a pool in front of the city hall for people to take a dip after a day of lounging in the sun. Parisians will have until August 20 to enjoy the Paris beaches, as well as free concerts, trampolines, and BMX jumps. With all of the fun activities taking place in the city this month, as well as opportunities to travel, the French should enjoy a wonderful month of August.

http://www.france24.com/en/20100720-beach-paris-summer-france-plages-holiday-music-entertainment

© August 2010, The Language Learning Institute, LLC. All rights reserved

Dine with a French flair this summer season

Tomates Crevettes

Add a European Touch to your next Cook Out with this Easy Recipe!shrimptomatoes
Give your next barbecue a French flair with Tomates Crevettes (tomatoes stuffed with shrimp). This light, elegant easy recipe complements your favorite grilled entrée perfectly. Served on a bed of lettuce garnished with lemon and eggs, this colorful dish not only looks good but also tastes delicious.

What you need:
1. Tomatoes
2. Mayonnaise
3. Fresh lemon
4. Fresh basil
5. Pepper
6. Salt
7. Small shrimp (the smaller the better)
8. Lettuce
9. Peas
10. Eggs
11. Parsley

Directions
1. Slice off the top the tomatoes and put it aside
2. Remove the inside of the tomato.
3. Boil some eggs
4. In a separate dish mix shrimp with mayonnaise until all shrimp are covered.
5. Add the juice of a fresh lemon (or two according to taste).
6. Add salt and pepper
7. Mince fresh basil and add it to the mixture.
8. Fill the tomatoes with the mix.
9. Make a bed of lettuce on a dish
10. Place the tomatoes in a circle/oval on the dish and put the tops back on.
11. Cut the eggs in half and place them around the tomatoes.
12. Put the peas in the middle of the dish.
13. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Please take note that the word entrée does not mean the same thing in French as it does in English. When an American refers to an entrée, they mean the main meal. Contrary to what many believe, when a Francophone person refers to an entrée, they are talking about a course that is in between the appetizer (amuse bouche) and the main dish

(le plat principal). Tomates Crevettes would be considered an entrée in the French sense.


© August 2010 The Language Learning Institute, LLC. All rights reserved

Thanks To Our Sponsors!
We would like to thank our sponsors for providing valuable space for our classes and events.

Do You Know?

Thank you to all who responded to last month’s “Do You Know?”

Who was the youngest winner of the Tour de France and in what year did he win?
Answer: Henri Cornet, age 20, in 1904

This Month’s “Do You Know?”

Among Tour de France fans, the maillot jaune has become well-recognized as the leader of the race. What does the maillot à pois rouges indicate?


Please click here to respond.

Good Luck!

Thank you for your interest in our school.  Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone who might be interested in learning about the Language Learning Institute and our programs and events.

Best regards,

Nancy Scarselletta
The Language Learning Institute, LLC

What Our Students Are Saying

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— Julienne B.

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