Italian Day 1999 
Italian Day 1999 10 October. Steered west-southwest and sailed at times ten miles an hour, at others twelve, and at others, seven; day and night made fifty-nine leagues' progress; reckoned to the crew but forty-four. Here the men lost all patience, and complained of the length of the voyage, but the Admiral encouraged them in the best manner he could, representing the profits they were about to acquire, and adding that it was to no purpose to complain, having come so far, they had nothing to do but continue on to the Indies, till with the help of our Lord, they should arrive there. Entry from Christopher Columbus' journal, 10 October 1492
Whack Quiz: Match the names on the left with the locations of their untimely demises on the right.
| 1. Joe Gallo | A. Barber's chair at the Park Sheraton |
| 2. Paul Castellano | B. Couch |
| 3. Carmine Galane | C. Sparks Steak House |
| 4. Albert Anastasia | D. Umberto's Clam House |
| 5. Bugsy Siegel | E. The Joe & Mary Italian-American Restaurant |
| 6. Dutch Schultz | F. Palace Chop House in Newark |
Italian Day 1998Dove: Casa di Sooze e del Joe ad una via delle 1412 Hazel nel cuore di Charlottesville la poca Italia 295-3428
Quando: Domenica, il 11 ottobre 1:00 del pomeriggio fino a chiudersi
Che cosa: L' alimento Italiano & beve
QUESTO ANNO CHE CELEBRA 20 ANNI DI SOFTBALL STUPEFACENTE DEI BRAVES DI MIRACOLO!
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Italian
Day 1997October 12th at Sooze and Joe's house -- in the heart
of Charlottesville's Little Italy. 1412 Hazel Street is off High Street,
up the hill from Jak & Jill's hotdog shop. Phone 295-3428. Festivities
begin at 1:00. Bring something Italian to share.
Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.
--Mobster Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano, as secretly recorded by an FBI informant
The Italians have always been known for their deep and sincere belief in the importance of friendship. Next to the family, it is their greatest source of protection, comfort, and assistance. But the world has become an increasingly dangerous place in which to live and sometimes an old fashioned gun-toting, thumb-breaking "friend" just isn't enough. With this in mind, here's a pocket guide to patron saints, those friends in the highest of places who are always eager to help in times of need. May it be your guide to finding protection from paparazzi (St. Francis de Sales* ), an antidote to e coli (St. Timothy†), and an alibi against the testimony of Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano (St. Raymond Nonnatus‡).
Bakers -- Elizabeth of Hungary -- Nicholas | Barren women -- Anthony of Padua -- Felicity
Bodily ills -- Our Lady of Lourdes | Brewers -- Augustine of Hippo -- Luke
Broadcasters -- Gabriel the Archangel | Butchers -- Anthony the Abbot -- Luke
Cab drivers -- Fiacre | Carpenters -- Joseph | Childbirth -- Gerard Majella
Children -- St Nicholas of Myra | Comedians -- Vitus | Cooks -- Martha
Court Clerks -- Thomas More | Dairy workers -- Bridgid of Ireland | Dentists -- Apollonia
Desperate situations -- Jude | Disabled -- Giles | Doctors -- Luke | Embroiderers -- Clare, Parasceva
Emigrants -- Frances Xavier Cabrini | Epidemics -- Godeberta | Expectant Mothers -- Gerard Majella
‡ Falsely accused -- Raymund Nonnatus | Farmers -- Isidore the Farmer
Fishermen -- Andrew -- Peter | Funeral directors -- Joseph of Arimathea | Gardeners -- Adelar -- Fiacre
Gravediggers -- Anthony the Abbot | Greetings -- Valentine Grocers -- Michael
Hairdressers -- Martin de Porres | Headaches -- Teresa of Avila
Hospitals -- Camillus de Lellis -- John of God | Housewives -- Anne | Hunters -- Hubert -- Eustachius
* Journalists -- Francis de Sales | Judges/Jurists -- John of Capistrano
Lawyers -- Thomas More -- Yves | Librarians -- Jerome | Lost articles -- Anthony of Padua
Lovers -- Valentine | Married women -- Monica | Mentally ill -- Dympna
Midwives -- Raymund Nonnatus | Miscarriage prevention Catherine of Sweden
Musicians -- Cecelia -- Gregory -- Dunstan | Neurological disorders --Dymphna
Nurses -- Agatha -- Camillus de Lellis -- John of God | Painters -- Luke
Pawnbrokers -- Nicholas of Myra | Pestilence (relief) -- Roch (Rocco) | Pharmacists/Druggists -- Cosmas and Damian
Physicians -- Cosmas and Damian --Luke | Poison Sufferers -- Benedict
Poor -- Anthony of Padua -- Lawrence | Postal workers -- Gabriel the Archangel
Pregnant women -- Gerard Majella | Prisoners -- Dismas | Protector of Crops -- Ansovinus
Radio workers -- Gabriel the Archangel | Rheumatoid sufferers -- James the Greater
Sailors -- Brendan -- Erasmus -- Elmo | Scholars -- Brigid Schools -- Thomas Aquinas
Scientists -- Albert the Great | Secretaries -- Genesius | Sick -- John of God -- Camillus de Lellis
Snake bite victims -- Hilary | Social justice -- Joseph | Social workers -- Louise de Marillac
Soldiers -- George -- Martin of Tours -- Sebastian | † Stomach disorders -- Timothy
Stone masons -- Stephen | Students -- Catherine of Alexandria -- Thomas Aquinas
Surgeons-Cosmas and Damian -- Luke | Taxi Drivers -- -- Fiacre
Teachers -- Gregory the Great -- John Baptist de la Salle | Television -- Clare of Assisi
Throat ailments -- Blaise | Travelers -- Raphael the Archangel -- St Nicholas of Myra -- Anthony of Padua -- Christopher
Universities -- Bl. Contardo Ferrini | Vintners -- Amand Winegrowers -- Vincent of Saragossa
Women giving birth -- Margaret | Women in labor -- Anne, Elmo | Writers -- Francis de Sales
Young girls -- Agnes
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Italian Day 1996October 13th at Sooze and Joe's house -- in the heart
of Charlottesville's Little Italy. 1412 Hazel Street is off High Street,
up the hill from Jak & Jill's hotdog shop. Phone 295-3428. Festivities
begin at 1:00. Bring something Italian to share.
Identify the movies that produced these not so famous lines:
1. "See, I was cooking dinner that night and I had to start braising
the beef, pork butt and veal shanks for the tomato sauce. It was Michael's
favorite. I was making ziti with the meat gravy and was planning to roast
some peppers over the flames and I was going to put on some string beans
with some olive oil and garlic. And I had some beautiful cutlets that were
cut just right that I was going to fry up for dinner just as an appetizer.
Now my plan was to start the dinner early so Karen and I could unload the
guns that Jimmy didn't want."
2. "This girl broke her ass to cook for you. She made a dinner fit
for kings and [you say] `I like Mommy's cooking better'"?
3. "Don't shit where you eat".
4. "No hitting, no slapping at the dinner table. OK? That's the rule."
5. "Dago, wop, garlic-breath, guinea, pizza-slinging, spaghetti-bending,
Vic Damone, Perry Como, Luciano Pavarotti, Sole Mio, nonsinging motherf___er".
6. "Well, the man can't hate me [just] because he don't eat right"
7. "Come over here, kid -- learn somethin'. You never know, you might
have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see? You start out with a little
bit of oil, and you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomato paste.
You fry it, you make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil. You shove
in all your sausage and your meatballs. Huh? Add a little bit o' wine --
and -- a little bit of sugar -- and that's my trick."
8. "Vai a prendere il burro". [Italian translation]
9. "Dad, are we gonna cuss at the dinner table?".
10. Virginia is for Lovers Bonus Questions: A) What movie has a scene that
combines nookie and gnocchi? B) In what movie does an Italian cabbie abstain
from meat and vegetables because of the impure thoughts they cause him?
Malocchio -- The Evil Eye
A popular superstition among Italian
Americans is the malocchio or evil eye, a curse
placed with the envious intent of turning its
victim's recent good fortune into bad luck.
Children and pregnant women are particularly
susceptible to the malocchio, while people born
on Tuesdays or Fridays have a natural immunity.
A common defense against the malocchio
is the mano di cornuto, whereby the intended
victim furtively extends the index and little
fingers from the clenched left fist to resemble a
goat's horns. Amulets representing the mano di
cornuto or the corno (a single goat's horn)
pendant are also used to defend against the evil
eye.
In order to diagnose and cure illness
brought on by the malocchio, many Italian
Americans have used a procedure involving olive
oil and water. If, after being dropped into water,
the oil disperses, the evil eye is indeed present.
To counteract it, one may pierce the oil with
scissors while reciting a prayer or charm learned
on Christmas Eve. One example of such a
charm is:
Occhio morto, occhio tristo
ti seguito coll'acqua, olio
e Ges— Cristo
(Eye of death, Evil Eye,
I am following you with water,
Oil and Jesus Christ)
Malpezzi & Clements, Italian-American
Folklore. Little Rock : August House
Publishers, 1992.
Special Italian Renaissance Tribute to Jerry Garcia.
Intarsia marble skeletons inlaid in the floor of Bernini's Cornaro Chapel in the church of S. Maria della Vittoria, Rome, 1645.
"In prison, dinner was always a big thing. We had a pasta course and then we had a meter
of fish. Paulie did the prep work. He was doing a year for contempt and he had this wonderful
system for doing the garlic. He used a razor and he used to slice it so thin that it would liquefy in
the pan with just a little oil. It was a very good system. Vinnie was in charge of the tomato sauce. I
felt he used too many onions but it was still a very good sauce. Johnnie Dio did the meat."
GoodFellas
" ... new torments and new souls in torment I see about me, wherever I move and turn and set my gaze. I am in the third circle, of eternal, accursed rain, cold and heavy, never changing its measure or its kind; huge hail, foul water and snow pour down through the gloomy air, and the ground that receives it stinks. Cerberus, a beast fierce and hideous, with three throats barks like a dog over the people that are immersed there; he has red eyes, a beard greasy and black, a great belly, and clawed hands, and he scars and flays and rends the spirits. The rain makes them howl like dogs, and the profane wretches often turn themselves, of one side making a shelter for the other."
Dante, The Divine Comedy (Canto VI, The Third Circle; The Gluttonous)
Before his first voyage, his sponsors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of
Spain, promised a bonus to the first member of his crew to spot land.
Rodrigo Bermajo was that first member. He didn't get the money. Columbus did.
Bermajo was so bitter about this injustice that he moved to Africa and
became a Muslim.
"They have no knowledge of evil," he said of the Tainos, the first tribe he
encountered. "They do not know how to kill."
There were as many as 3 million Tainos on the Caribbean islands in 1492.
Within a generation, there were virtually none.
As for the natives, he wrote, "I say that Christendom shall make good business
with them, especially Spain, to which all must be subjected."
He was gung ho for enslaving the Indians. In 1494, against the wishes of
his queen, Columbus shipped to Spain 500 people to be sold as slaves at
Seville. Most of them soon died.
In the years leading up to 1892, the 400th anniversary of the "Discovery,"
there was a movement to canonize Columbus. But he was ultimately
deemed no saint. It was because he had a son out of wedlock.
"We see him sort of like a creature out of science fiction, an alien from another
planet who sort of zipped down and imposed a new way of life, against
which there has been a guerrilla struggle to this very day", says Alex
Ewen, a member of the Purepecha Indian nation of northern Mexico.
Jews claimed him as a descendant of medieval converts who had chosen
baptism over execution. Spaniards made the case that he was really a
Catalan. In fact, he was the son and grandson of Genoan weavers.
According to his own writings, he "took [his] pleasure" with an Indian woman
after whipping her "soundly" with a piece of rope.
Bring something Italian (food or drink)
to share
We could use some extra lawn chairs
or folding chairs
Customs:
It is an Italian Day tradition to say, "Ah,
Bellissima!" whenever a woman enters the
room
Despite its current association with a
Republican White House, the game of horse
shoes is played by many Italian Americans
and may be substituted for bocci ball on
occasion
Conversation Tips:
Try some food and say, "Hey! Datsa Good!" or "Hey! Itsa nosso bad!"
Name dropping (acceptable) -- Paterno, Scorsese, Lombardi, Sinatra (or Francis,
never the redundant "Frank Sinatra"), the Madonna, Jonh Gotti, Cuomo
Name dropping (unacceptable) -- Madonna, Sammy the Bull Gravano, Lena
Wertmuller, Mussolini
Italian Americans often refer to themselves as "goombas" or "paisans". However,
, the more colorful terms, "dago", "wop", "greaseball", and "guinea" are considered
derogatory -- especially when used south of Jersey City
