Osia. 98-year-old restored banner at a blessing ceremony in the Bronx
Loggia Uguaglianza No. 83, the oldest Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) local lodge, unveils its 98-year-old restored banner at a blessing ceremony and dinner in the Bronx's Little Italy.
Seen from left: Lorraine Corsa, Esq., immediate past president; Silvio Caserta, house chair; Senator Guy J. Velella, president; Bishop Robert Brucato, long time vicar general of the New York archdiocese; New York State Supreme Court Justice Dominic R. Massaro.
The lodge was founded in the Bronx on September 14th, 1911. The nine decade old silk and gold embroidered banner was rescued by Justice Massaro, a 50-year member of the Order. Over a six month period, it was professionally restored by experts to museum-like quality. The banner is the earliest OSIA standard known to exist.
Justice Massaro, the Order's former national historian (1981-91), noted at the ceremony: "This is more than a local lodge banner. It is a piece of OSIA history." [ LESS ]
The lodge was founded in the Bronx on September 14th, 1911. The nine decade old silk and gold embroidered banner was rescued by Justice Massaro, a 50-year member of the Order. Over a six month period, it was professionally restored by experts to museum-like quality. The banner is the earliest OSIA standard known to exist.
Justice Massaro, the Order's former national historian (1981-91), noted at the ceremony: "This is more than a local lodge banner. It is a piece of OSIA history." [ LESS ]
October 7, 2009
Bruce and Pino Daniele - Two Iconic Musicians Warm My Heart
Musical giants access different parts of your soul. Last week brought two of my favorite artists to me - Bruce Springsteen and Pino Daniele. Both bring back great memories and parts of life. Italy in New York, New York in Italy. It's wonderful that the world has become so small that you can sit in the Apollo Theater singing Quando with 1000 Neapolitans and an African American usher greeting everyone with Buona Sera.
Grand Central Becomes Saint Mark's Square for Columbus Day
The annual Columbus Day festivities in New York will take on a Venetian theme, as this year's events are dedicated to the Italian region of Veneto. The city transformed Vanderbilt Hall, the main room of Grand Central Station, into Saint Mark's Square, one of Italy's -- and the world's -- most famous of its kind. This year's event schedule was presented by the president of the Columbus Citizen Foundation, Louis Tallarini, Francesco Maria Talò of the Italian Consulate, and Paolo Donadini from the Veneto Tourist Center.
At Grand Central one is welcomed by two floats -- the tower of Saint Mark's Square and the Empire State Building, together representing historical symbols of both Venice's classical majesty and the Big Apple. In addition of the towers stands a reproduction of Palazzo dei Dogi, which is currently holding the exhibition entitled, "Veneto: A Bridge Between Vencie and New York." The exhibit holds such works as a tree decorated with original Muano glass from Venice, minituare handmade shoes by artistians from Brenta, as well as panoramic photographs from the Dolomite mountain range.
The exhibit is open to the public until October 17th and is sponsored by the region of Veneto.
[ LESS ] 
ABC7 to broadcast Columbus Day Parade
ABC. The official station of the 57th annual Columbus Day Parade, will broadcast the parade, live, Monday, October 12th, from 12:30-2:30 pm. on ABC 7's 7.2 (Comcast Channel 217, Wide Open West Channel 219 and RCN Channel 618). ABC 7 will also stream the parade live at abc7chicago.com. An encore presentation of the Columbus Day Parade will air on Sunday, October 18th at 12:30 PM on ABC 7. The parade will be presented commercial free. (Read the article)
Ferrara fetes Giovanni Boldini. Local painter became hugely popular in turn-of-century Paris
ANSA. Ferrara wn has opened its doors on a new exhibition exploring the early years of Giovanni Boldini, a local boy who later made it big painting flashy portraits of high-society Paris. (Read the article)
Milan celebrates Frank O. Gehry
ANSA. Recent masterpieces by celebrated Canadian-born architect Frank O. Gehry are spotlighted in a new exhibition at the Triennale museum in Milan. California-based Gehry, 80, has worked in the industry for over four decades but the exhibit focuses exclusively on designs produced during the last 12 years. (Read the article)
USA versus Italy: Diversity versus Mixing
Many otherwise astute Italian-born commentators on American life often mistake the grand indicators of diversity in American population statistics as indicators of extensive social mixing. Although America is far more diverse than Italy, and in some places like New York City, a great deal of more or less pleasant social mixing is apparent, the facts on the ground are that in most of the USA the situation is not very different from that which can be found back home in Italy.
October 6, 2009
Spots of the Leopard: Q&A with Winemaker Francesco Mocavero
Photos by Mattie John Bamman
It’s grape-picking time in Puglia, and I caught up with Winemaker Francesco Mocavero of Mocavero Winery to discuss how this year’s harvest is going.
Inglorious Basterds, il capolavoro di Quentin Tarantino
E' uscito anche in Italia l'ultimo film di Tarantino. Abbiamo chiesto di guardarlo ad un nostro corrispondente. "Un manipolo di soldati americani viene mandato in Europa, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, con una missione precisa: collezionare scalpi di nazisti. Nel frattempo una giovane donna ebrea la cui famiglia è stata massacrata dagli uomini del Terzo Reich medita vendetta quando il cinema che gestisce a Parigi viene scelto per l'anteprima di un film di propaganda cui parteciperanno Hitler e Goebbels.
What Berlusconi's Obama 'Jokes' Say About Italy
TIME MAGAZINE. Jeff Israely writes about the danger of racism in Italy after the last gaffe of Premier Berlusconi, who recently repeated his world-known 'joke' about Obama (and the First Lady) being "tanned." "In many ways," notes Israely, "mainstream Italian society is several generations behind the rest of the West when it comes to race. ... In Italy, where immigration has skyrocketed in the past decade, racism is becoming a front-burner issue." The journalist quotes Aly Baba Faye, regional director in Rome of the Anti-Racism Observatory and the head of Italy's first pro-Obama initiative during the 2008 campaign, as saying he understands the President's not wanting to turn the issue into a diplomatic affair. "But someone has to make him stop. Maybe just a private note through the embassy?" Or maybe the next time he sees Berlusconi, Obama himself can lean over and say, "Hey Silvio, you know the tan jokes? Basta." (Read the article)
Burri. Le Combustioni, Bianchi e Neri, e i Cretti alla Casa Italiana della NYU
Le opere grafiche di Alberto Burri precursore dell Avant-Guardia post-bellica italiana ed europea in mostra nella Casa Italiana della New York University
I Multipli di Burri all'Istituto italiano di Cultura di New York
“Io vedo la bellezza e basta. E la bellezza è bellezza e basta, sia che sia un bellissimo sacco, sia che sia un bellissimo legno, ferro o altro (...) Ogni quadro che faccio, con qualunque materiale, stai sicuro che per me è perfetto. Perfetto come forma e come spazio. Forma e spazio : queste le qualità essenziali, che contano davvero.” Alberto Burri
Magazine
Multimedia
In Italian
-
