It’s a pretty common bucket-list item to learn to speak Italian. I mean, who wouldn’t want to absorb the language of the country that gave us Sophia Loren, pizza, espresso and those adorable little Fiats? Not to mention the fact that Americans love to travel to Italy—whether it’s to bask in the gorgeous art, drink wine with lunch every day or simply find a place where both parents and little ones can equally enjoy a vacation. (Did we mention the gelato?)

In my case, it’s all of the above—plus the fact that my Italian is embarrassingly sparse and I’m taking my family there this summer to visit relatives. That’s why my interest was immediately piqued when I saw that Lupo Verde Osteria in Palisades is kicking off what will hopefully be a series of Italian language classes in partnership with Casa Italiana Language School.