I have noticed that the way I look at some of the experiences in my life, growing up Italian-American, and things I say in my live shows and on my radio show, Filippo and the Chef, strike a chord with so many people, Italians, Italian-Americans and people of all walks of life, that I decided to journal some of them on a weekly basis and I invite everyone to chime in about their Italian connections and experiences.
Vi Auguro un Felicissimo Anno Nuovo! I wish you all a Very Happy New Year!
The Italian/American connections have been so wonderful this year and I look forward to sharing much more of them with you next year, in person and on the blog.
In the meantime, above is something I thought you would appreciate, it is an anonymous New Year's greeting I found on an Italian Forum. I found it very creative and I wanted to not only share it but translate it here for you. Leave it to the Italians to know how to put words together to not only look good, sound good but have such deep meaning.
Translation: To those who love to sleep but always wake up in good humor. To those who still greet with a kiss. To those who work hard but have more fun. To those who drive their cars quickly but don't honk at stoplights. To those who arrive late but don't look for an excuse. To those who shut off the television to have a chat. To those who are doubly happy when they have done half. To those who get up early to help a friend. To those who have the enthusiasm of a boy or girl but the thoughts of a man or a woman. To those who see black only when it is dark. To those who don't wait for Christmas to be better.
From me to all those and to all of you just the same, again, Buon Anno Nuovo!
Filippo
P.S. The Italian/American connections continue. I got this video off of an Italian blogger's website, Mello, www.generazioneblog.it. The site deals with his views of Italy and World happenings. The video however is his 2007 New Year Greeting to his readers and followers. I thought it was interesting that here was an Italian wishing his Italian readers Happy New Year with an American song.
The song is most appropriate as a wish for all of us for the New Year, George Weiss and Bob Thiele's "What a Wonderful World." What the video is about however, is anyone's guess. I think he is just doing what makes any Italian happy, going to the ocean, even in winter. In this case it is il mare Leccese in San Cataldo. (In English)
"It's the most wonderful time of the year," to borrow a phrase from a favorite Christmas song. Since my last post, the parties, the cards, the E-mails..., and the fun keep coming and I am enjoying every minute of it.
Before I post some highlights for the week, I just had to post this card that I got last year from an artist fan in New York, Tony Mancino. I am not in the habit of saving Christmas cards but for the past couple years Tony has created these clever cards and has sent them to me at Christmas from him and his wife Grace.
This year's hasn't arrived yet, and I couldn't find the one from the year before, even though I am sure I kept it. So, above is last years card which I thought you would enjoy, and which he dedicated to our show Filippo and the Chef. At the New York concert this year he presented me with an amazing sketch he had done of me. That makes three artists so far that have been inspired to draw or paint me, not including the guy at the wharf in Monterey who does caricatures.
Actually, no joke, when I danced the tarantella as part of a dance troupe growing up, I did have a caricature artist approach me and ask me if he could draw me in my Sicilian costume. I don't remember if he gave us the drawing or not. I will have to ask my Mamma. If she still has it, maybe I will post up along with all the different artists' renderings of "Filippo," then again, maybe not. Back to Christmas, every year one of the most impressive Christmas parties that I have ever been to is hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Davidson. You may remember Nadine Nardi Davidson from one of our past shows "Penne With Vodka Sauce," wherein I interviewed her about her book "How to Travel With Others Without Wishing They'd Stayed Home."
Every year, this party is quite the event of the year held at their beautiful estate home in Brentwood, and I am fortunate to be on the yearly guest list. This is a picture of Harold, Nadine and I.
I don't know about you but I still get a kick out of attending parties at grand estates with valets that park your car, security guards at the door who check the list for your name, when you walk in you are greeted with cocktails and hors d'oeuvre, and someone to check your coat, three bands playing throughout the house and backyard, which by the way is tented and carpeted with crystal chandlers and tables and tables with amazing flowered centerpieces, four food station with food from four Countries of the world, and several bars throughout the property.
I of course also enjoy the people all dressed up to the nines and dancing with the ladies. It has been fun too getting to know people and catching up with them over the years, like Robert Jacobson of Banana Bread Records pictured here with his girlfriend Dorit.
Besides being a producer, Robert is quite the accomplished and recorded guitarist. He and I have a runnnig conversation every year. Though he's not Italian, he travels back to Florida to see his family often, and on occasion will find himself there during the Italian Festival in his home town. He enjoys going to the festival but is bound and determined that I will sing at that festival one of these years. And so the conversation starts with, "Have they booked you for the festival this year?"
Here is another such acquaintance I have had the pleasure and get to know over the years through the Davidsons. She is Karen Leigh Hopkins, Actress, Director, Writer, Producer, and an all around talented person pictured here with me.
It has been great to hear about all her projects through the years and to learn that her latest project as a film writer is about to be released this February 2nd "Because I Said So," starring Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore. The movie sounds fun and I can't wait to see it. As we Italians say "In Bocca A Lupo," which is the equivalent of "Break-a-leg!"
At this years party I was also happy to see and meet for the first time, none other than one of KFI's nationally syndicated, most stimulating talk show hosts, Bill Handle himself.
Just like he sounds on radio, the few minutes we spoke with each other, he proved to be everything you would expect him to be, energetic, highly entertaining, intelligent, oh and yes, you always knew where he stood on everything you spoke about because he made his opinion known.
It was a pleasure meeting such a highly successful and respected veteran of radio and heart warming to get his words of encouragement for my radio show.
Above he and I are pictured together and then I just had to have a picture with Marge, his wife. If you have ever heard the show, this is the lady he always mentions. Thanks Marge for indulging us both.
Here's a lady I don't get to see enough of but thanks to this party I got to see my friend Tina Maron. She just finished refurbishing her totally Italian kitchen in her home in Palos Verdes complete with steam oven and all kinds of great accessories. We tentatively have a date to cook together in her kitchen, and I can't wait. If she lets me take pictures in her kitchen I will make sure to follow up, it is supposed to be amazing.
From this great party I ended up going to two other ones in the same night. Though there were lots of Italian connections to be had and many I would like to write about, I think I am going to stop right here and get ready to take some time off and celebrate the Holiday with my family.
There is this last picture I wanted to post though, I promised people that saw my hat at various parties that I would post a picture of me with "The Hat," on my blog. It is definately an Italian Santa Hat. Italians are known to talk with their hands going all over the place, well, this hat followed suit and was all over the place.
What better picture to use than this one where we caught it in mind movement as it was going from one side to the other. My Italian Santa Hat and I are happily pictured here with Graphic Designer and Illustrator Helga Taylor and Music Engineer and Producer Arnie Geher. Incidentally, Arnie has worked with some of the world's top bands, singers and musicians. I am sure I will be writing more about him soon.
But in the meantime, a "Buon Natale to all and to all a Buona Notte!"
Filippo
P.S. In case you haven't picked up on it, there was a strong Italian and Jewish connection on this post and hence, I thought it would be appropriate to include this song which is one of the world's most loved American Christmas songs "White Christmas," written by one of the world's most beloved Jewish songwriter, Irving Berlin, and sung by one of the world's most beloved Italian singer, Mina, in Italian. (In Italian)
The show is "The Italian in Me," written and performed by Dina Morrone, an Italian-Canadian I had the pleasure to meet just a month or so ago. At the time she tried to describe to me what her show was about but we concluded that I just had to see it to understand what she meant, because she promised it was nothing like any shows I have ever seen.
The opportunity finally came and she invited me to this special showing which included a catered Italian dinner after the show catered by Ms. Barbera. Well, the publicity reads that the show is of one woman's "accelerated, full immersion Italian lesson about Cinema, Sex and Saints," and the show lives up to its own publicity. "The Italian in Me" follows a doe eyed aspiring actress as she leaves her overbearing, old fashioned Italian grandmother in Canada and moves to Rome in search of "La Dolce Vita." She quickly learns the that Eternal City is "Holy" or as romantic as she imagined.
As she pursues her Roman dream, everyday becomes a sexual obstacle course filled with perverts, priests and pinches until - when all seems lost - she meets the "Maestro," Federico Fellini at Cinecitta Studios, and this chance meeting will forever change her life.
A semi-biographical story, Dina takes the audience through the humor, the perversion, the hopes, lies, successes and "failures," all the while showing her abilities as an actress to not only play her parts but those of the other "characters" in her story, including the "Maestro" himself.
It is indeed an adult show, not only in content and language, but in spirit, dealing with real issues in a way that was realistically and matter-of-factly presented, leaving the audience to ponder and make their own conclusions about the story presented, as worthwhile art often does.
It was thought provoking, interesting, funny and sad all at once, and not to mention entertaining in many ways, including watching Dina change characters, or even, modestly change costumes, right in front of us, or behind a screen, thus activating the imagination even more.
As you can see from the pictures above, the stars came out to see Dina. Above is a picture of two lovelies, on the left, film actress and TV host Brigitte Nielsen and on the right, the star of the evening Dina Morrone. Just below that a picture with Brazilian-Italian singer, author and television personality Bianca Rossini, Dina and myself.
Below that is a Italian Film Director Gabriele Iacovone who proudly sported his Sicilian made Birrettu. Gabriele happened to be here having meetings with Producers about his next project.
Directly above is a picture of la Neilson, the Consul General of Italy, Diego Barsioli, Dina, and myself.
Just as I was enjoying the company I was keeping, I had to trade places with the "photographer" of this picture and let him shine. This man gets to shine lots however without my help since he is one of Hollywood's most sought after Film Editors and Producers with films like "Pirates of the Carribean," under his belt. Need I say more? It's Stephen Rivkin next to Neilson, Brasioli, and Morrone, below. Finally, below is one last picture. And with that I say, brava Dina and I look forward to seeing your show again when you do your next run in Los Angeles before you take it on tour across the US and Canada.
And speaking of Canada, I know you are off to visit family for the Holidays in the great Country to our North, so Buon Natale e felice ritorno.
Filippo
P.S. And speaking of experiences in Italy, here is a montage of rarely seen videos and photo clips of the Supremes singing with an accompanying sound track of them singing "You Keep Me Hanging On," in Italian.
This season has probably been the most busy of my life between my Filippo and the Chef Show, the Italian Christmas store on our www.FilippoandtheChef.com website, my personal performance schedule and parties, parties, parties.
How much I would love to post all the fun pictures we took at all the many Italian-American events during this season. I would also enjoy posting some of the cards I received, both in the mail, and electronically. I have also enjoyed people sending me pictures as well to be posted to the website. In time I will get those all up.
What I decided for this post is to put up a few highlights of some of the events, cards and pictures and hope that in the future I can put up more.
By the way, thanks to everyone that has written me thanking me for posting the "Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey" videos. I agree they are a lot of fun and you are welcome, it was my pleasure to find those and post them for all to enjoy. Actually, the thanks goes to the creative people who created the videos.
Here are two of my favorite pictures Above is a Christmas card that I got from Chef Richard of the Filippo and the Chef Show and his wonderful family. And this one is a picture sent to me by a fan, Rosie, of her 84 year old Nonna's Christmas Eve fried Baccala and Shrimp last year. Gotta love it. She promised me a better picture this year.
This is a Christmas card and a picture I received from one of my biggest fans, Deborah, and her Italian named, Italian-American grandchildren, Oreste and Francesca.
It is so fun to watch these young Italian-Americans grow and wonderful to be sharing our heritage with them. She is good about teaching then an Italian word or two and sharing her heritage as much as she can.
I thought it would be special to put this on the blog this year. Every year for the past several years I have received a special gift from Lee Rizzuto, owner of the Conair Corporation.
Like Deborah, who's card is pictured above, who gives to Unicef with every card she send out, for the past few years Lee he has given a donation to the Cardinal Cushing Center on behalf of every one on his Christmas card list. With every card comes a dated Limited Edition "Mother Teresa Coin."
The front of the coin bears the her image and the back this saying "Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing." Mother Teresa.
Here is a picture of me at one of the Holiday gatherings this year with just a few Italian-Americans, Nic Romano on my left and Michael Bullo on my right, both of Villa Romano, the soon to be Italian Village, B&B and Vineyard that I will be sharing more about as it gets built. On my far right is Thomas Tamburello, a fellow Sicilian-American of Bullet Proof Entertainment.
To my left next to Nic is Marco Missinato, composer and founder of Pets Love Music, that which I will share more about in a subsequent post, and Isabella Cavilini, of Paramount Pictures, and a singer as well.
Speaking of Marco, here is him again at another holiday gathering at the home of John March. John is an A-List Guitartist and Mixing Engineer, among other things. You have undoubtedly heard his work since he has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Prince and Babyface.
As for this picture of us, I think I have this picture all figured out. I am trying to make sure that the Christmas tree gets in the picture for the blog, Marco is anxious to get the picture over with because he has his eye on a signorina he would rather be talking to, and John, well John is laughing and having a good time!
Though there were many other pictures taken, with other Italians, I had to put this one in because to me, this is the strength of America, for many reasons.
This is the Guitard family, and this picture to me represents a small slice of the spirit of America. In this picture are represented an Italian-American, a Hispanic-American, a French-Canadian-American and an American-American, but all of us American. I think you get my meaning.
Not to mention that these people are the salt of the earth, with the future of America on my right, an operating nurse from St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank at my left, and her husband, a Fireman of Burbank's finest, we can't go wrong.
At the home of Tess Caciatore, founder of the World Trust Foundation, her and I took this pictures during another event there, before she flew off to New York, or Chicago or somewhere to help feed 3 Million people in 33 Days as part of one of her organization's projects, Feed 333. You go Tess.
Below is a picture of actress Camille Saviola and I at yet another event. You have probably seen this lady on TV all over the place. Others recognize her from films and still others from her award winning performances on Broadway. In any case, most of the roles I have seen her in are serious roles, but I am here to tell you, this lady is funny! Richard and I are trying to get her to join us when we take Filippo and the Chef to TV. This is me trying to butter her up.
Speaking of buttering up, these next two have the smoothest tongues on radio. Because they speak in Italian sometimes, not everyone gets the benefit of knowing exactly what they are saying but for those of you who can catch both the English and the Italian you would be laughing, that is if their show is anything like what our interviews turn out to be every time I am on the air with them.
I am talking about Nino and Rosa of "Ciao Italia," WRHU 88.7 FM Long Island. They can get you so comfortable you can talk about anything and it is a wonderful way to be. Kudos to both of you for your successful and fun and informative show. Thank you for having me on. Below is a picture they just sent me that we took when I was on their show promoting my concert at Hofstra.
Now let me see, did I get everything I wanted to get into this post, "something new, something blue, something borrowed, something Christmasy..."
I feel like I have decorated this post like a Christmas tree. All that is missing is the angel, and I know just the one.
Here is a card that a friend of mine made, yes made, by hand. The card is three dimensional and multi-layered using different media. She even drew the angel and colored it etc. I thought this would be the perfect way to top off this blog, thank you Carol for this beautiful card and angel.Buone Feste a tutti,
Filippo
P.S. Here is a video that I thought might be appropriate. Being that it is not yet quite Christmas, this is a video of a song called "Lettera a Babbo Natale" meaning a letter to Santa Clause. It is like an adult letter from a Milanese to Santa. I liked it because even if you don't understand the words the video is a montage of some typical Italian images as well as Christmas ones. (In Italian)
Near my home there is an architecturally modern designed group of buildings that make up what is called the Skirball Cultural Center. It is a center dedicated to exploring the connections between four thousand years of Jewish heritage and the vitality of American democratic ideals. It welcomes and seeks to inspire people of every ethnic and cultural identity in American life.
True to it's mission I myself have attended at least two events at the center that where of Italian heritage, in fact, they were performances of Italian artists from Italy. And yesterday they included Italian-Jewish Culture as part of their Hanukkah Family Festival.
Though when one thinks of Italian Holidays they don't often think of Hanukkah, there is a large population of Italian Jews in Italy and in the States, as well as Italian-American Jews here who do. Jewish settlement in Italy supposedly traces back to the Roman Empire and so Italian-Jewish Culture runs deep in Italian-Jewish communities.
As part of the Italian themed Hanukkah Family Festival at the Skirball today, there were live performances of the music of Italian-Jewish Renaissance composer Salomon Rossi, and Italian Hanukkah songs. The also had Italian silver etchings art workshops for the kids, and the center's restaurant featured Italian carciofi alla giudia.
I myself was most interested in the exquisite Hanukkah lamps from Italy on display in the lobby exhibition hall. These pieces date back centuries and are part of the Skirball collection. Four of these beautiful objects are modeled after architectural forms, two with fountain imagery.
Others show angels, mythological figures, exotic birds, and other decorative motifs that were popularized in Italy during the seventeenth century and reveal the Renaissance fascination with Greek and Roman antiquity.
Above I am pictured in front of a few of them, and here are pictures of each one individually.
Thank you to the Skirball Cultural Center for making Italian-Jewish Culture the them for this years Hanukkah Family Festival.
And thank you to Mia Carino, Assistant Director of External Affairs at the Skirball, for making a private viewing and photographing of these Hanukkah lamps possible.
Finally, to all my Jewish and Italian-Jewish friends and fans, a Happy Hanukkah.
Filippo
P.S. I think this video I found on Youtube.com is very appropriate for this post. Hoffman York (an Advertising Agency in Milwaukee) has created an original song and animation for a heart-warming Christmas/Hanukkah/Holiday greeting! (In English)
What a title, "Dominic - The Italian Christmas Donkey." Now I know some of you know exactly what I am talking about, and some of you think I've lost it for sure. Okay, let's start at the beginning.
I was invited to a party tonight at the home of Karen Brooks. Here she is pictured on the left with a few of her friends. I must have been saying something funny but I don't remember what. To start off with, I knew I would have a great time there because Karen is a real class act and I was sure her friends would be too. And indeed they were.
What I didn't know was that I was to meet some real zingers, or should I say singers. But before I get ahead of myself, I didn't know that I would be eating there too. I had been out to dinner just before I got to the party and was so full. And then I saw this spread on her dining room table. Now Karen is not Italian, and no one at the party was either except me, but the food would make an Italian Mamma proud.
She had pasta, cooked to perfection, and a sun dried tomato dish, a fava bean salad, broccoli with garlic, and the list goes on. She also had some Mediterranean dishes as well, everything of which she made, except the grape leaves, she said honestly. So what does an Italian man do when he is full and can't have another bite? He eats some more, and I did.
I got around getting to know a lot of people and having a good time like these lovely people here. And just as I was about to leave out of nowhere, another room or something, comes this group of partyers that looked like they were having way too much fun without me, so I decided I need to stay and join them.
It didn't take long for the topic of food to come up in our conversation. That should have been my first clue. Then I mentioned my show Filippo and the Chef and when some eyes lit up, I knew I had struck gold.
I said, are any of you Italian? And five people responded, I am, I am. Then they immediately started to tell me how much Italian, which half, and where from. That is so Italian-American, and so endearing. I said, that's it, I have to have a picture of us and I have to blog about this, and here we are.
Then the most interesting thing happened. I honestly don't know how it happened or what sparked it, but all of a sudden as we got ready to pose for the picture we all broke out singing "Dominick The Donkey," in unison. I kid you not. I couldn't make this up if I wanted to. Funny enough we all stopped at the same part because none of us knew the words to the rest of the song.
That is a moment I will not soon forget especially since it is a song I probably haven't sung since childhood. Above is a picture of me and my new paisans, and here one of me and the rest of their gang.
By the way, I am wearing a Christmas light scarf I designed for fun that lights up. Surprisingly, it was a such a hit, I actually had a few requests from people who asked me to make them one, including the fashion designer Lisa Arden, who left before I got to take a picture with her. She was wearing a clever decorative Christmas tree type of headdress thing on her head and I figured between her tree and my lights we could have really taken a special picture.
Now as great as receiving one of my lighted Christmas scarfs for Christmas would be, here is an even better gift for all my Italian friends, the lyrics to the song of the hour:
DOMINICK THE DONKEY
(THE ITALIAN CHRISTMAS DONKEY) by Allen, Merrell, and Saltzberg Popularized by Lou Monte in 1967
Hey! Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ree-oh-la)
Santa's got a little friend, His name is Dominick. The cutest little donkey, You never see him kick. When Santa visits his paisans, With Dominick he'll be. Because the reindeer cannot, Climb the hills of Italy.
Hey! Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ree-oh-la)
Jingle bells around his feet, And presents on the sled. Hey! Look at the mayor's derby, On top of Dominick's head. A pair of shoes for Louie, And a dress for Josephine. The label on the inside says, They're made in Brooklyn.
Hey! Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ree-oh-la)
Children sing, and clap their hands, And Dominick starts to dance. They talk Italian to him, And he even understands.
Cumpares and, Cumpares too, They dance la tarantel. When Santa Nicola comes to town, And brings lu cuccialrel.
Hey! Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Gigidy gig, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ree-oh-la)
P.S. The gifts keep on coming. Here are some fun Youtube.com videos of people like you and me and my new friends having fun with "Dominick The Donkey" (In English)
I hinted in my last post about me going to an art showing. It was an exhibition of an up and coming Italian born artist Veronica Agostini. I did not know her before meeting her that night but quickly felt so intimate with her after having spent just a few minutes in conversation and several minutes in front of her expressive, emotional evocative artwork.
It was her and "Freedom" I went to see and come to know. That is the artwork shown here that has become famous in it's own right, among other things, being used as the cover of Angelino Magazine.
It was an honor to get to stand in front of the painting and take a picture or two or three with the artist Veronica herself.
My friend Michael was taking the pictures and as far as I was concerned none of them were coming out right so we had to keep taking them.
I could have taken more pictures for at least a few hours but I think Veronica caught on after ten or so pictures that it wasn't about the pictures anymore.
Here are Veronica and I arguing about it and me trying to be transparent and acting like I don't know what she is talking about.
I'm still trying to figure out what I was pointing at on this one.
Here we are standing in front of "Pensieri."
Now of course, seeing how much fun we were having taking pictures, my friend Michael, my "Photographer" for the evening wanted to be in front of the camera, not behind it. Veronica graciously agreed, even though she had lots of patrons waiting for a moment with her.
Michael picked the painting and Veronica disagreed with his choice. I was in agreement with Michael, I thought it was an excellent choice and for that matter an amazing painting.
Veronica gave in saying, "My Father will be happy." And hence, the name of the painting is "Hi Dad." On a serious note it is interesting to note that Veronica was born in Rome into an old established Roman family with a long history of artists and professionals, most of whom have followed their chosen careers to distant parts of the world. Like most of them she too is doing the same with her vocation here in Los Angeles.
Here is a picture of some of Veronica's patrons who were trying to buy an art piece in the midst of all this going on. To say we all had fun is an understatement.
A lot of art was sold that night including "Freedom" which I was sad to see go, it was the original too.
She does have some prints however of two different works, "The Orange Soul," not pictured here, and "The Opening Can," pictured below.
And speaking of patrons, this art exhibition was held in the warm and welcoming Los Feliz home of the effervescent hostess Joanne Daly. It was wonderful of her to have such an invent which also included the works of Carolyn McDonald and Samantha Maclachlan.
Here is Joanne standing in front of the Veronica Agostini art pieces she had bought from the show in her own home.
Here is Joanne showing us exactly how she feels about being the owner of these two pieces or art incidentally titled "Pan," and "Lovers."
Finally, Joanne went so far as to invite yet another artist to the event and in this case it was Jason Luckett who did an exhibition of his own with his original music. Incidentally, he is seated in front of one of my other favorite piece of Veronica's "The Opening Can."
I would say that this was a very successful event and I look forward to seeing a lot more of Veronica's art and a lot more of her, for that matter, the "Beauty who paints Beauty."
Sinceramente,
Filippo
P.S. Though many of the songs Jason performed that night caught my ear, this one that I later happily found on Youtube.com was one I knew I would include here, why? The Italian connection of course, the song is called "Under a Roman Sky." (In English)
Ciao a tutti,
