Grazie "Amici" - Thank You "Friends"

Ciao a tutti,

"Grazie," in Italian means thank you. "Amici," in Italian means friends. Therefore, technically the title of this post is indeed "thank you friends." And though I mean that and I always say that, the reason that the word "Amici" is in quotes is because I am referring to an Italian Journal called "Amici." So in essence I am not just thanking "friends" I am thanking the Journal.

And the reason I am thanking Amici is not only for the work they do in keeping those interested in Italian and Italian-American culture informed, but because of the wonderful article they wrote about our show "Filippo and the Chef."

I got a call from Randy Warner of our management team at The Phoenix Organization the other day telling me he was real pleased with the article in the Amici Journal. I hadn't seen it yet, so he sent me a copy, and I got to see what he meant.

Author, John Rizzo did a really nice job. I remember him interviewing Chef Richard and I for a future article in the Journal but I didn't remember telling him all that he wrote. He must have done a lot of research. Nonetheless, thank you John, and thank you to our amici at "Amici."

I have posted the article that was written on us here, but the whole magazine is worth getting since it is filled with things people who are interested in things Italian want to know. Plus, this month has Italian-American actor Gary Sinise on the cover.

Gary, so it seems, has been on a "mission" his whole life with his famous roles in CSI: NY, "Mission To Mars," "Forrest Gump" and then of course, "Apollo 13." But he is on a mission of a lifetime now, and in Amici they hit up on it in a very interesting article about him and his foundation, Operation Iraqi Children, which supports the efforts of American soldiers to assist Iraqi children. It is an organization founded and funded by Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand.

Learning about the kind of great work that people like Gary Sinise do, on screen, and off, make you proud to be associated with them on all fronts, as Americans and as Italian-Americans.

Grazie "Amici," and grazie Gary for the work that you are doing.

Filippo

P.S. I think it very appropriate to post a clip here that I found on Youtube.com of Gary Sinise on Craig Ferguson's Talk Show, talking about other things we can be proud of like his entertaining the troops, among other things. (In English)