VIVA - Current Classes

current classes : past classes
Current Classes and Events

SEPTEMBER

Italian Movie Night - FREE Friday, September 3rd The Flowers of St. Francis Francesco, Giullare di Dio 6:30pm dinner 7:30pm film Roberto Rossellini - 1950 Roberto Rossellini was an icon and champion of Italian neo-realism and eventually split with his protege, Fellini, over their stylistic and philosophical differences regarding filmmaking, which makes this collaborative effort between them that much more special.This is a very simple and direct film, firmly in the neo-realist style, that tells the story of Saint Francis of Assisi, the "People's Saint," through 9 vignettes. The monks are all played by real Franciscan monks, which adds another whole dimension as a labor of love and devotion to the film, which is also totally in the neo-realist spirit of movies by real people about the realities of real people. Most of the rest of the cast are also non-actors, and there are very few cuts, generally only to correct mistakes in filming or acting. Movies made in this style were very inexpensive to produce, which was one of the points: making the process of film making accessible and relevant to the majority. Unfortunately, this didn't always translate into making films “popular,” and Flowers was a commercial failure. Nonetheless, it ages rather well, and the hand of Fellini, who brings his characteristic humor and also a slight sense of the surreal to this undertaking, makes this one of the more enjoyable Rossellini films. The vignettes are sweet, funny, and historically enlightening. St. Francis of Assisi says, “It is better to preach by example than by words” and he leads his disciples to do just that. The film was based on a 14th century book, “Little Flowers of St. Francis”. Run Time: 87 minutes Light supper and a glass of Italian wine for sale RSVP for dinner

A Tapas Workshop Friday, September 10th 6 to 9 pm Argentine Chef Pablo Voitzuk $80 Tapas can be practically anything from a chunk of tuna, cocktail onion and an olive skewered on a long toothpick to meat with sauce served piping hot in a miniature clay dish. They are served day in and day out in every bar and café in Spain. So much a part of the culture and social scene that the Spanish people invented the verb tapear which means to go and eat tapas! There are several stories about the origin of tapas, which are a part of the folklore: It is told that King Alfonso X, el Sabio or “the Wise One,” made sure that Castilian taverns serve wine accompanied by something to eat, so that the wine would not go straight to the clients' heads. Another story claims that while on a long trip, King Alfonso had stopped to rest in the town of Ventorillo del Chato in the province of Cádiz, and he ordered a glass of jerez or sherry. There was a gusty wind, so the inn keeper served him his glass of sherry covered by a slice of ham to prevent the sherry from getting dirty. King Alfonso apparently liked it, and when he asked for a second glass, he requested another tapa or “cover” just like the first. Whatever the true origin of tapas, prepare one or several, then enjoy them like the Spanish, or in our case Argentineans, do – with a glass of wine and a relaxed attitude. ¡Ah! Divino… or Divine…
Menu Mushrooms al Ajillo Tomato Bread with Manchego cheese Tortilla Baked Sardines	Spanish Tortilla

Basic Digital Photography Workshop Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010 6:30pm to 9pm $75.00 Alan Bartl Photography This class will explain all the basics of how to take photographs, and will cover manual exposure techniques using f-stops and shutter speeds, light-metering methods, auto vs. manual focus, depth-of-field, composition, white balancing- what it is and how to white balance, camera handling, lens selection, use of accessories such as tripods and filters, and will conclude with a hands-on camera demonstration and Q&A session. Class is open to students of all levels, and is intended to help you achieve more consistent photo results. You will develop an understanding of how to control a camera as well as the photographic process in general. Please bring your camera and tripod for hands-on experience. (Manual camera preferred but not required.) Light supper, a glass of Italian wine and dessert will be served.

NOVEMBER

Italian Language Tuesdays November 9th - December 14th 6 weeks 7pm to 9pm Lisa Gottreich $85 Give yourself an early Christmas present with la lingua Italiana! Come learn the language of le belle arti, musica, la dolce vita and pasta! This is the class for you - fun, full of energy, with a small class size that allows each participant to get his or her specific questions answered. Lisa has a wealth of knowledge on Italian history, social customs, idioms and the ins and outs of the crazy "vita Italiana". Sign up now to reserve your spot - we will keep the class at less than 20 students. This course is great preparation for the traveler, the gourmet cook, the pizza eater and the Italophile alike. Materials included in fee.

Hands on Food Photography Lab Saturday, November 13th & Sunday November 14th 10 to 1 each day Instructor/Photographer: Alan Bartl $250 for both days including lunch each day All digital work flow with Food Photographer Alan Bartl. Bring your camera & tripod have fun, photograph food and eat together. In this 2 day class we will learn about: * techniques for successfully imaging food, lots of tips on making food look good on camera * white balancing, what it is and how to white balance * how to best use the camera in manual mode * great composition for food photos * types of lights and their effects on imaging, such as strobes, hotlights, flourescents and natural light & how to mix types * how to set up lights & propping a set * how to correctly color balance & color balance theory We will have several different food sets which we’ll photograph as practice. Each day we will review our images, talk about techniques and have a light lunch with a glass of Italian wine.

DECEMBER

Cheese Making Workshop - Mozzarella and Ricotta Sunday, December 5th 1pm to 4pm Cheesemakers Robyn Rosemon & Gabe Jackson from The Beverage People $60 Back by popular demand, Robyn and Gabe are ready to dazzle you with the many ways that you can make really good cheese at home. This class sold out last time so don't wait to register! Traditional mozzarella is made from water buffalo milk, a highly prized flavor. Water buffalo milk is three times as expensive as cow's milk and since these animals are herded in only a few countries, primarily Italy and Bulgaria, most mozzarella is now made from cow's milk. Mozzarella is not aged like most cheeses and is actually best when eaten within hours of its making. The process of making mozzarella is called pasta filata, which means the curds are heated in water or whey until they form strings (hence the term "string cheese") and become elastic in texture. The curds are stretched, kneaded until smooth, and then formed into round balls to make fresh mozzarella cheese. Ricotta, meaning "cooked again" is a fresh, soft, snowy white "cheese" with a rich but mild, slightly sweet flavor. It is made from the whey drained from such cheeses as mozzarella, provolone, and other cheeses. Learn to make both of these cheeses at home with simple, tried and true methods. Robyn & Gabe are experts at what they do so bring all your questions. We will learn terms, techniques, tools and ingredients. Each of you will learn how to cover a whole tomato with mozzarella! quite an impressive presentation. And of course, as always, you will have ample tastes of the cheeses made along with a glass of Italian wine to complement your labors.

Back to top