La Bella Vita

Book excerpt: Carla Bruni. Giorgio Armani. Luciano Pavarotti. Giada De Laurentiis. Sophia Loren. The Leonardos (Da Vinci e DiCaprio). From fettucine to fashion and back again, nobody does La Bella Vita like the Italians. Whether preparing a meal or sculpting the David, singing an aria or seducing a lover, Italians take their time, and do it right--adagio! In this bellissimo primer, Romans Aminda Leigh and Pietro Pesce show you how to achieve that sensual perfection in everything you do, leading you on a smolderingly hot journey through each of the five senses: Sight (vista): Toss the shabby, shapeless clothes and dress up! Italians take meticulous care of their appearance and are always fashionable. Sound (udito): Act like an Italian and emphasize the positive whenever possible. Touch (tatto): Touch like all Italians do--double-kiss, hold hands, touch other people's arms, and gesticulate! Smell (olfatto): Take a ride on an Italian motorbike and pay attention to the scents of your environment--the sea air, a coffee shop, a flower garden . . . Taste (gusto): Forget inhaling a heavy dinner--eat like Italians and savor a long, leisurely home-cooked meal! From fashion and film to food and language, this book is the crash course in Italian living every Italophile should indulge in, pronto!