Casa Connect - Italian and Spanish Language Club (April)

Led by qualified language teachers this night will give you the chance to get to meet new people while sharing stories, picking up botanical folklore and language etymology (the story behind the words). Join us for a relaxed language learning night set in WildISEarth kombucha bar.

This night is dedicated to the theme of new spring growth: the your own new learnings, inspirations and the green herbs that are starting to grow this season.

Improvers and veteran Spanish or Italian learners will begin the evening with a sprinkling of botanical small group activities themed around nettle (Spanish speakers) and basil (Italian speakers) to arm yourselves with vocabulary for the evening. Then, the main flow of the evening moves you around the room to meet others with a word root etymology activity and relaxed speaking prompts.

6.30-6.45pm Arrivals, meet and greet, connect and optional activity at the bar.

6.45-7.30pm Social conversation with fun prompts in Italian or Spanish sparked by theme of botanical roots.

7.30-7.35 Comfort break

7.35-8.20pm Relaxed movement around the room using conversation prompts while learning about etymology.

8.20-8.30 Reflect and wrap up.

Stay on for: more relaxed drinks and social conversation.

• Folks studying as improvers or who have travel Italian or Spanish skills.
• Veteran learners with at least two years study under their belt.
• Anyone who wants to relax and meet new people.
• Folks who want to stick to one language or move between the two.

• New connections.
• New vocabulary related to botanicals and roots.
• Fun facts on the etymology (backstory) of Spanish and Italian words.
• Stories of folklore from the plants Spanish and Italian speaking world.

Example of a social conversation prompt

If you were a herb which would you be? a) Cilantro b) Thyme c) Bay leaves

Si fueras una hierba, ¿cuál serías? a) Cilantro b) Tomillo c) Laurel

Se tu fossi un’erba, quale saresti? a) Coriandolo, b) Timo c) Alloro

Casa Connect is an initiative set up by teachers at Stripey Spanish and Love Live Italian that aims to create a local home of conversation and connection for Spanish and Italian learners in North London. The idea of a loose botanical theme for the conversation nights is inspired by both one of the teachers' hobby and the strong ethos of the venue.

Love Live Italian was founded with one powerful belief: learning a language should feel like joining a community, not just attending a class.

Based in Camden and online, Love Live Italian offers a warm, immersive approach to discovering the Italian language and culture. It's a space where students become part of something bigger, exploring Italian through conversation, food, music, and more.

The philosophy is clear: learning should feel human, creative, and fun. Confidence grows when you stop chasing perfection and start using your voice.

Whether through language and culture courses or engaging community events, Love Live Italian celebrates the joy of connection – transforming language learning from a solitary pursuit into a vibrant, shared experience where every student feels welcomed, encouraged, and truly part of the community.

Wherever you're starting from — beginner, returner, or advanced learner — we're here to support your journey, and to make learning Italian an experience you genuinely enjoy.

Stripey Spanish is an immersive Spanish school that's kick-started a way of language learning. It has been running classes in North London for almost ten years and worked with over 600 hundred students. The vision is to create a crew of confident, motivated and capable Spanish speakers. The premise is clear - we can all learn languages, why not make it memorable, practical and social. It’s first of a kind 5 week and ten week courses in Camden integrate immersive social experiences to make for richer and more memorable learning. Our students get out to London kitchens, escape rooms and mezcal bars speaking real Spanish while you're eating, drinking and playing games. We also run corporate programmes and an immersive class series.

Carla first learned Spanish aged ten when her family moved to Spain for one year and it became her passion to share this skill in creative ways. She found herself questioning and seeking more human centred ways of learning since she was at university. From watching Ken Robinson’s Ted talk, doing dissertation fieldwork into indigenous education in Mexico and working in a company bringing play back into our lives in the UK. This interest all culminated in her setting up Stripey Spanish in 2016.

She believes passionately that everyone can learn a language and that relaxed leaning settings along with carefully structured and interesting input and support is the way to create confident language speakers. Carla qualified as a Spanish teacher at the Institute of Education, UCL and has taught Spanish, French and Latin across ages. She now leads the Spanish evening classes in Camden with Stripey Spanish.

When not at work you can find her growing vegetables on her family allotment, volunteering at a medicinal herbs community garden or cold water swimming.

Irene, Teacher and Founder Director of Love Live Italian

I’ve always been fascinated by languages — curious about how people connect across cultures. Growing up in Italy, I dreamed of living abroad, and when I moved to London, that dream evolved into something even more meaningful: helping others discover the joy of learning Italian.

After graduating in Intercultural Studies from the University of Florence, I earned a Master’s in International Liaison and Communication at the University of Westminster. Those experiences shaped my belief that language is more than grammar — it’s about connection, confidence, and culture.

In 2018, I began offering 1:1 lessons rooted in fun, creativity, and real conversation. That vision soon grew. Today, I run Love Live Italian, a welcoming school and community, with fantastic teachers and a variety of courses — from group classes to private lessons, book clubs to pasta nights — all designed to help you live the language, not just learn it.

When I'm not teaching, you'll find me on a yoga mat breathing and moving, connecting with my body, reading a coming-of-age story, travelling, or eating some delicious food.

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