Word of the Day: DAJE!

This is as Roman as it gets…

Daje is simply the Italian word dai, said with a Roman accent, or rather, in the Roman dialect. Dai is the Italian equivalent of ‘come on!’

Said in Roman dialect however, daje has more than just the one meaning of ‘come on.’ And just to clarify, it’s pronounced like ‘daayeh.’

Meaning number 1:
Daje like ‘Hurry up!’ – For example, ‘Cosa aspetti? Daje!‘ – ‘What are you waiting for? Hurry up!’

Meaning number 2:
Daje like ‘Come on!’ For example: ‘Cosa non capisci? Daje!’ – ‘What don’t you understand? Come on!’ (This meaning is closely related to meaning number 1).

Meaning number 3:
Daje like ‘OK.’ For example: ‘Ci vediamo stasera?’ ‘Daje.‘ – ‘Are we seeing each other tonight?’ ‘OK.’

Meaning number 4:
Daje like- ‘F**k yeah!’ Pardon my English, but no other phrase really captures this meaning of daje like that one… For example, ‘Daje Roma!!’ – ‘Go Roma!’ (The soccer team).

Meaning number 5:
With slight variation- Aridaje- meaning ‘again?!’ For example, ‘Pasta….ancora? Aridaje?!‘ – ‘More pasta?…Again?!

If you want to sound super Roman, go for the ‘eeddaaajjeeee’ prolonged pronunciation.

In the Spotlight: Big Mama

Here in Rome, we’re always looking down. Not that there aren’t beautiful sites above eye-level (Michelangelo’s cupola, I’m looking at you), but with every step across this city, you’re meandering over 3000 years of history. From catacombs to hidden cities to everything in between, there’s always something cool downstairs. But on one small street in Trastevere, once you descend those stairs you’re in for a totally different kind of cool, a new birth of the cool, as Miles Davis might say (actually he probably wouldn’t, I was just trying to give myself some musical street cred with that reference). It’s on Vicolo San Francesco a Ripa, and when you duck your head to cross the threshold into this little locale I have in mind, you’re entering not another ancient, excavated home, or aqueducts built by Agrippa, but a divey, dark den with a a massive cocktail list, a medium sized stage, and a musical lineup that will make you feel like you walked into Nashville in the 60′s.

Big Mama, or, Rome’s home of the blues, as it likes to call itself, is a nearly 30 year old establishment. Their nightly shows cover the spectrum from jazz to rock to blues to ethnic with a fair amount of awesome cover bands thrown in for good measure. And, it’s one of the best deals in town to watch live music on a regular basis. Drop 15 euro for an annual “tessera” (or membership card) the first time you go, and return for free for the rest of the year. While you’re there, avail yourself of the sizable wine and cocktail list, which, unlike most music venues stateside, is actually priced normally.

Interested in checking it out? You’re in luck, because this Saturday night my favorite act – oldies cover band The Riding Sixties – is taking the stage to duke it out amongst themselves in their bi-monthly Beatles vs. Stones showdown.  Classic rock, drinks, and a subterranean jazz club that unashamedly models itself after the venerable House of Blues? Sounds like my kind of night.

Where: Vicolo San Francesco a Ripa 8, Trastevere
How: To reserve a table (free, although you’re expected order drinks), call ahead or go online, although walk-ins are always welcome

Zvia Talks to Romans: BuzzInRome

One huge scene in Rome is the ‘blogger/writer’ scene. Ever wonder who the people are behind the blogs and websites? Well I spoke to the… person… who runs BuzzInRome, a super useful and up-to-date site about Rome and its awesomeness. 

Name: Anonymous
Where are you from? I am from Rome, I was born here.
For how long have you lived in Rome? I spent most of my life here. Except for a year and half in London in the 1990s.
Which was the last restaurant in which you ate? Gaudì, in the Parioli area. They have Naples-style pizza, the real pizza. In Rome they make a thin, burnt crust they call “pizza.” (Yes! I like to call it cracker pizza, personally.)
Which was the last pub you went to? 4:20, near Porta Portese. They have a wide range of draft beers and an unusual choice of ciders. But there is also good food.
What is your job? I ask questions. Exactly what you’re doing with me! I am an economics/finance reporter for a national TV network. I also present the news, live. It’s an Italian channel.
For how long have you worked in this position? Nearly 8 years. But the last few months have been by large the most interesting and hectic because of Italy’s debt crisis.
What is your background? I studied international politics and I’ve always worked as an economics reporter.
Have you always wanted to write? No, not really. I actually never held journalists in high regard, but I then changed my mind when I realized that this is a very diverse job, never boring, and that news bureaus are very free and stimulating workplaces with people coming from different backgrounds willing to share their knowledge and views of the world.
How did you decide to get into your current role or area of work? It was pure coincidence. During my military draft I started as a part-time contributor for a newspaper and then got hired when a full-time journalist left it.
Why did you start a blog on Rome, in English? I love to travel. I’ve met and hosted many tourists here in Rome and I realized that they were missing the atmosphere and the magic of this city by visiting only the must-see sights. Our past is very fascinating and our ancestors did incredible things, but I think that Rome’s contemporary talent and lifestyle are equally worth a visit. I am trying to convince the international community that there is much more than the Vatican and the Colosseum to experience here.
And your other job? I consider BuzzInRome as my second job. It takes several hours a day. It’s not just writing, it is much more: creating an online community of Rome addicts, reading, replying to queries and trip advice, meeting people with new tourism-related ideas and projects etc….
What is the target audience of the blog? This is a very tricky question. My blog is aimed at both multiple-time Rome visitors and expats – workers and students. It is for those who want to enjoy our lifestyle, not for the average 3-day tourist.
What is your readership like? My readers are mostly women in their 20-30s, they all have a degree but are not big money earners (yet). It is more complicated to draw a profile of those who leave comments. It is usually people with a very in depth knowledge of the topic addressed in the story who want to share their insights.
What do you try to write about mostly? I mostly write about events. All and everything has been written on Rome’s landmarks. Very little is available in English on what goes on in Rome now, how Romans live, what they do in their free time: on the 21st century Dolce Vita. I focus on events that can be enjoyed by foreigners who don’t speak Italian.
How many articles do you try to publish every week? I don’t have a rule, really. It pretty much depends on how many events are taking place in a specific period in and around Rome and how much spare time I have. I’d say 3 on average.
Do people ever write to you asking you to cover a certain topic? If they do, would you do it? It’s happened sometimes. I’d do it if it is in line with the spirit of the blog.
What social media applications do you use? Twitter, Facebook, Stumbleupon and Foursquare. Twitter is great to get tips and updates. Facebook is good to create a community of people who share an interest. Stumbelupon increases the blog’s exposure. Foursquare shows where you go, what you do in your real life.
Which is the best way, in your opinion, to get your articles out there and seen? Writing about controversial issues helps a lot. But I prefer sober content and dry style. I want to inform.
What would you suggest to a tourist coming to Rome, before they get here? I’d suggest them to consider that Rome is overwhelming for quality and quantity of sights. Some reading before getting here would help them screen and choose: you can’t see everything in a city like Rome. I’d also recommend to leave some energy for the night, to enjoy a walk, and a glass of wine after dusk. Rome is full of people and energy at night. All year long.
What would you suggest to a tourist in Rome? Can I say what is not a must-see in my humble opinion? The visit inside the Colosseum. There is very very little left after centuries of pillages. The amphitheater’s beauty lies in the structure as such, which can easily be admired from outside, from the road. Why not spend those two hours in the Borghese Gallery, for instance?
Do you have any advice for someone that is looking to write about Rome, being in Rome, or things to do in Rome? Rome is a very chaotic, unorganized city, with poor communication in Italian, let alone in English. But there are so many nice events taking place everywhere in the city, without any coordination or underlying logic. Try to find them out and don’t limit yourself to the city center, (Trastevere ansd Testaccio). Another tip: Rome’s underground artistic scene is very lively and creative, but has nearly no media coverage.

Phew! Now I don’t feel so bad that I’ve lived in Rome for 2 years and never been inside the Colosseum…

Word of the Day: A buffo

Brace yourselves for this one, because it’s a doozie!

I have recently learned that ’a buffo’ has two very distinct meanings. Like all Roman teenagers, I always used this phrase to mean ‘randomly,’ or more precisely, ‘without reason.’ For example:

-’Anche se ho visto il sole prima di uscire da casa stamattina, mi sono messa il piumino a buffo.’ – Even though I saw the sun this morning before I left my the house, I put on my down jacket, for no reason.
-’Il mio iPod si è bloccato a buffo.’ – My iPod randomly crashed.

The original use of this phrase however, has nothing to do with the widely-used expression explained above. If you’re talking to a Roman language stickler, they will tell you that a buffo means free/gratis, or without paying. However, it is not really used in this sense anymore. This is where it gets a bit complicated, so bear with me.

A buffo is dervied from the phrase,  a ufo, which derives from the latin phrase, A.U.F, or ad usum fabricae. You mean you don’t understand Latin?! Well ad usum fabricae means: transported materials that were used in the construction of various cathedrals in Italy (like the Duomo in Milan, and Saint Peter’s in Rome). Taking into account where these materials (stamped with an AUF), were headed, and their holy purpose, they generally traveled for free, gratis: without having to pay tolls. A.U.F. then naturally transformed into a ufo, a phrase meaning, ‘without pay,’ (without the best of connotations, as you can imagine.)

Example:
-’Conosco tanti a Roma che prendono i mezzi a ufo‘ – I know lots of people in Rome who take public transportation without paying.
-’Sono andata a un bel ristorante e ho mangiato a ufo.’ – I went to a nice restaurant and I ate without paying.

Related to this second meaning of a buffo (but really a ufo) is ‘buffi‘ or the Roman word for debts. ‘Sono pieno di buffi.’ – I have a ton of debt.

No matter which way you use this phrase, it is most definitely Roman, meaning a dead giveaway to where you learned Italian. So, I hope you found today’s daily dose of vocab as interesting as I did!

(A special thanks to my Italian mentors, Claudio and Filippo for their help on this post!)

Word of the Day: Addirittura!

So you read every single Young in Rome post? Scan all the pictures, read every interview, use every word of the day, do every suggested day trip, cook every recipe?! ADDIRITTURA!! 

Meaning even, actually, or the exclamation, really?!, addirittura is an adverb deriving from the Italian words, a and dirittura. Technically, addirittura should be two separate words, but since they are said together so often, it has now become one word: a manner of speech.

A meaning ‘to,’ and dirittura meaning ‘the home stretch,’ somehow (no idea how) come together to mean absolutely, even, completely, really, straight away without a doubt…

Some examples might clarify its uses, since translating addirittura into English is a bit complicated:

1) ‘Hai mangiato un’antipasto, un primo, un secondo, un contorno, e anche un dolce?! Addirittura!’ – ‘You ate an appetizer, a first course, a second course, a side dish, and a dessert!? Really?!’
2) ‘Non si è solo laureato, pero ha finito addirittura con 110 e lode!’ – Not only did he graduate, he even had the highest score!
3) ‘Era talmente importante la cosa che doveva dirmi, che mi ha addirittura chiamato alle 4 di notte!’ – The thing he had to tell me was so important, that he even called me at 4 am!’

But just remember, addirittura is not really used in writing, it is generally spoken, and most of the time, said in an exclamatory way.

Fat Tuesday Fêtes

Today is Fat Tuesday, or in French, Mardi Gras, or, in Italian Martedì Grasso. That means that it’s the last night one can go balls-to-the-walls and indulge in all things rich, and fat, and gluttonous, before Lent starts (tomorrow, Ash Wednesday). Consequently, a few locales are holding events tonight, offering you opportunities to go wild, before you start your ascetic lenten life.

Rock Carnival Party - Put your mask on and head over to Pigneto’s Circolo degli Artisti. (Warning- if you don’t come with a mask or a costume, they will dress you up themselves!) There will be two DJs spinning rock music, for your dancing pleasure. If you reserve in advance, you can also partake in their €10 all-you-can-eat pizza dinner spectacular!!
Cost: €5 with mask, €8 without. €10 for the stuff-your-face-with-pizza dinner.
For more info in Italian, check out Circolo’s site or the Facebook event.

Vintage Carnival Party – For Lanificio‘s party, you must attend wearing at least one retro item to show off! Starting at 10:30 PM, a DJ will be playing a mix of indie-rock, funk, pop-dance, and vintage. Feel good about attending this party, because all proceeds go to  AMKA development projects in the Congo and Guatemala.
Cost: €10 including a drink.
For more info in Italian, check out Lanificio’s site, or the Facebook event.

Hollywood Party – “The theme of the night is cinema, so you put on the mask/costume, and we’ll put on the makeup” – explains the tagline of Caffè Letterario‘s party. The night begins with an aperitivo/cena at 7:30 PM, leading to a DJ set lasting until 3 AM. For those who want the makeup session, don’t forget to reserve!
Cost: €15 for aperitivo/cena + DJ set
For more info, in Italian, and the number to reserve your free making-up, check out the Facebook event.

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!

Photo of the Day: Horse tamers on the Quirinale

These marble statues of Castor and Pollux were thought to be original Greek works, they're actually ancient Roman, but are impressive nonetheless.