"Addio Mia California" - The Italian Consul General Says Goodbye

Ciao a tutti,

On the occasion of the Italian National Day The Consul General of Italy Diego Brasioli and his wife Mrs. Diego Brasioli said goodbye to California.

I want to say, that in major metropolises throughout the US there are Consul Generals from many Countries that come and go as the years do.

Los Angeles has certainly seen it's share from around the world and of course, from Italy, to be specific. Arguably, few have made the impact that il Signor Diego Brasioli has on this community in his short time with us.

And now with his farewell "performance," he made his impact again and secured that his memory shall be indelibly inscribed in the Italian Communities History, by leaving us with a BANG!

Instead of a party, like so many other beautiful parties, held at his official residence in Beverly Hills, Diego invited us all to a theater at UCLA to experience "My West," with a reception to follow.

Being that Diego is a cultured man and a lover of music and art many of us assumed that "My West" would be a performance of highlights or a parody on Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Fanciulla del West, (Girl of the Golden West)."

Instead, I myself was pleased to see a performance like none I had seen before by an "official," making himself vulnerable and revealing himself through the work that he had actually written.

The official story, I learned from him afterwards, was that he was not able to find someone to play the part of Giacomo Puccini, so he had to play it himself.

But I have to say that no one could have played it better than the man who wrote it and felt it in his heart like it was obvious Diego did.

In a joint production with Opera Santa Barbara and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura under the direction of Alessio della Valle, Diego treated us to this intimate journey that he tied in with his own feelings about leaving California.

The Consul General realistically portrayed a fictional visit and public address by Giacomo Puccini to Californians after having written the opera and received accolades for his historical premier of "Girl of the Gold West" at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Throughout the presentation Diego related some true stories that inspired il Maestro Puccini to write the opera, from the joyous to the challenging.

Together with Soprano Suzan Hanson, Tenor Garbriel Reoyo Pazos, Bariton Paul Sahuc, and Pianist Valery Rivkin, Diego told the stories and shared the plot before allowing the singers to carry the message through the words and music of the grande maestro Puccini himself.


In the end, Diego bade farewell to California before an emotional crowd who gave him a standing ovation as the singers sang the farewell, appropriately, from the end of the opera itself, "Addio mia California," farewell my California.

While applauding I heard a lady behind me say, "I love that man," to which her female companion responded "Me too."

You could see the impact Diego had had on the people gathered there, not just the ladies. The fact that they were there to begin with in such large numbers, on a weeknight, was a testimony to the success and popularity he earned while here in Los Angeles.

He brought together people from the varied businesses and cultural communities of Los Angeles. From the Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca to the Vice Chairman of NIAF Joe Cerrell, from actors like Robert Davi and Daniel McVicar to heads of businesses and owners, people came out to bid Diego a fond farewell.

Pictured above is Diego Brasioli himself dressed in the style of Giacomo Puccini during the performance. Below that are pictures of Chef Richard and I with Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, just before Sheriff Baca had his deputy sheriff remove his deputy sheriff pin from his lapel so he could give it to Chef Richard. They obviously had shared a moment and had mutual acquaintances. Chef Richard wore his pin proudly the rest of the night.

Above Chef Richard and I took turns taking pictures with actor Robert Davi and below that, together with the Bold and the Beautiful Actor Daniel McVicar.
Finally, we both were happy to be photogrpahed with this years Queen of St. Peters Church, the lovely Margequx DiMasi Rodriguez.

Frankly, I know I am not the only one who hopes and trusts that this story doesn't end like the opera in which the people say "mai piu," lamenting that they will never see each other again.

So instead of "Addio," we bid you "Arrivederci," keeping the hope alive that California will see you, Diego, again soon.

A presto,

Filippo

P.S. Here is a video of the final scene of a RAI 1956 film of "La Fanciulla del West," in which the protagonists sing the final words of the opera "Addio mia California." (In Italian)

June 2nd - Italian Independence Day

Ciao a tutti,

Of course we all celebrate the Fourth of July in America which is of course our National Independence Day. Some of us, especially in California, even celebrate, or should I say get into the celebration of, Cinco de Mayo, Mexico's Independence Day.

But how many people, and Italian-Americans included, even know that June 2nd is Italy's Independence Day? I have felt for a long time that we should be celebrating the Italian Independence, and though I am not much of a flag waver I always try to bring attention to this day.

This year, without even planning it, "Filippo and the Chef" celebrated an Independence of its own, so to speak, on this day, and boy did we bring attention to our show.

This was the first time that we invited a team of people to see us record the show live for the purpose of signing on the proverbial dotted lines signifying their official joining of the Filippo and the Chef family as Marketing Representatives, Producer, etc.

We all knew it would be fun, but little did we know just how much fun. Richard and I went about our business of putting the show together as we always do, only this time with an audience. We then recorded our 41st show, Mozzarella In Carrozza, with pre-recorded interviewee Italian Singer Patrizio Buanne. If you want to know what our dish is and who our guest is, you have to log on to www.FilippoandtheChef.com and learn how to make it, because it is so good, and to hear Patrizio, because he is good too.

Having a studio audience threw us off for a second because this time, when Chef Richard and I were throwing zingers at each other, people were actually laughing and it made us laugh even more. That of course made it more fun . But the fun was just beginning.

After the taping of the show we all sat around Chef Richard's dining room table, including his wife, and we ate Richard's delicious meal he had just cooked on the show. We knew right away that we had the right team in place to help us take the show to the next level, because they were just as funny and fun loving as us.

We joked about everything under the sun and ate and laughed and ate and laughed for several more hours. It really did feel like family, and it was.

I actually envisioned when the Filippo and the Chef Show gets on television that we would have a Christmas Special like Bing Crosby used to do. On that show I envisioned all of these folks being in that show with us, that's how close I felt to all of them. Now that's family and that's Italian.

I can't believe I mentioned Christmas when here we are June 2nd, the Italian Independence. Viva L'Italia.

I must add in closing that every time my Father used to say "Viva L'Italia," he always followed it up with "E Viva L'America!" And now I am going to follow that up with "E Viva Filippo and the Chef e Tutta La Famiglia!"

Filippo

P.S. In parts of Northern Italy, some say that the famous chorus "Va Pensiero" from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Nabucco," is revered more as an Italian National Anthem then the actual Italian National Anthem itself, "Inno di Mameli."

Well, on the way to Richard's house, to meet everyone and record the show today, I happened to be listening to an opera radio show. The theme of this particular show that day happened to be called "Non-Italian Basses." Ironically, the show host played "Va Pensiero" because there was a Bass aria that followed, being sung by a non-Italian, of course.

Little did he know of the significance that piece had on this particular day to the Italians and to me in particular. The significance it has personally is a story I would like to share someday. But in the meantime, for those of you who don't know it, and for those of you who do, here it is for all of us to enjoy. (In Italian)

AC Milan 2, Liverpool 1 - Forza "Rossonero"

Ciao a tutti,

ITALY WINS THE WORLD CUP AND NOW AC MILAN ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE AFTER WINNING THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TODAY 2 TO 1 AGAINST LIVERPOOL IN ATHENS!

FORZA ROSSONERO!

Filippo

P.S. When I was last in Italy, this past Fall, I got to attend a soccer game at the Rome Olympic Stadium. Since I got to sit in the press box I got to have a perfect view of the action, not only on the field but in the stands. It was like nothing I had ever seen at a game before in my life. The fans did all kinds of things I had never seen in the States, anything from shoot cannons to light smoke bombs.

In this video tribute to AC Milan you get to see what I mean. (Italian Soundtrack)

Da Un Mondo al L'Altro - From One World to Another

Ciao a tutti,

One of the aspects of what I am doing that I enjoy the must is all the interesting people I get to meet. I enjoy people and find us humans fascinating. And that combined with not know who I am going to meet when, and at what particular event, and not knowing what learnings I will have or experiences I will share with them makes my life very exciting for me.

This weekend at a beautiful house in Beverly Hills I had yet another one of those surprises and experiences. Take for example my getting to be introduced to Folco Terzani. Up until the introduction that evening we had each known of each other, him through a mutual friend, Paula Jackson, and I through his work and that of his father's.

His Father is Tiziano Terzani, one of the world's most respected journalists and writers. Folco was not only known in Italy because of his father but also because of the works he had done in Calcutta with Mother Teresa and the like.

Ironically, Tiziano, Folco's father, started out as a journalist in Italy reporting on wars and ended up being one of the most respected advocate of peace. His writings have been translated in many languages and are sold in many Countries and used as textbooks in schools.

But when father and son got together to collaborate on a book which was to be Tiziano's last opus, the roof broke through on the phenomenon that is the Terzani.


It all started when Tiziano wrote his son Folco a letter, who was in America at the time, and asked him to come home and spend his father's last days on earth with him. During that time he proposed that they would spend one hour a day in which Folco could ask him everything he ever wanted to ask of his father, his life, career, and life learnings, and he would answer.

And so it was. Folco recorded these daily conversations and the result was a touching book entitled "La fine e il mio Inizio," the end is my beginning.

Folco is now heading peace projects of a spiritual nature around the world and there will be much to share about him and his upcoming works. I cannot wait to do so. Folco was headed to India after we met but promised we would connect on his next trip to Los Angeles and I will get to interview him for our Filippo and the Chef Radio Show.

Above you will find pictured, Folco and I, then Music Producer Amir Efrat, myself, Folco Terzani, and Italian Music Composer Marco Missinato. Finally, you see Folco's beautiful free spirit shining through in the third photo. Ahh, were we to all be that free what a wonderful world it would be.

And speaking of being free and of meeting people from different worlds, I got to spend time with Dorothy Donahue of Love and Miracles, a spiritual healer/guide and conscious co-creator. She is free indeed and so open to all the Universal teachings, connections and dimensions you can imagine. And therefore, the connection to different worlds really does apply in this case.

I had had the pleasure of meeting Dorothy before and it was great to see her again and spend time in conversation. One of Dorothy's fortes is to work with energies and help people heal or move blockages in their lives. She works with individuals, groups, and even corporations in moving energies, be they in relationship, money or whatever.

It is interesting to note that in all the pictures we took with my camera that night, these spots appeared only in the ones with Dorothy in them. Dorothy refers to them as "Blue Apples," and says that they are there because of her and it is the energy by which she works. Interesting to note that in all the other pictures with her, the "Blue Apples," are around her, in this picture with me, the "Blue Apple," is right at her fingertips, over my heart.

See what I mean about the interesting people that I meet and the things that I learn and experience?

I am sure there are going to be many, many more experiences to learn and share with and about this group pictured here.

As a group we call ourselves The Star Team and I will be happy to share more about that as the news on our development progresses. I will say this though, that we have a product we have created between the whole lot of us called "Love and Light," and we all play a part. Actually, we AAAALLLLL play a part, including all of you and all of everyone and everything else.

It is a beautiful project and I hope to share more on that later. Pictured here are Marco Missinato and Julie Smith at the top of the stairs, and Paula Jackson, Troy Ziel of Squared, Photographer and Graphic Artist extraordinare, and myself.

Yes, I am focused on a few special projects in my life and I like to get involved in so many things. The beauty is that they are all inter-related and they all are with people I love and enjoy and it all makes my life whole, complete and magical. I can't wait to share more of it.

Finally, here are two Italian musicians who have toured the world, together and separately, with some of Italy's, and for that matter, America's, biggest musical stars; Guitarist Simone Sello and Drummer Marco Piale.

Dr. Suess wrote a book long after he had written his famous children's series. It is a children's book too but much different than the "Cat in the Hat" type of books. It is called "Oh! The Places You Will Go."

In it he talks about not only the places but the people his protagonist met along the way. I am starting to feel like that very protagonist, and it is just the beginning.

Thanks for coming along with me.

Filippo

P.S. Here is a video I found on Youtube.com that well illustrates how Tiziano and Folco Terzani, Father and son came to write the book "La Fine e il Mio Inizio." (In Italian)

Rhythm is the Cure - Southern Italian Tambourine Techniques

Ciao a tutti,

It is amazing to me how so many ancient rituals and beliefs actually had truth and or merit to them. I think, at least for myself, in our "modern" society thinking, I have been "encouraged" to discount so much as "old fashioned" that I didn't always give credit to how much the ancients really knew about many things. In some cases I am learning that some tribes, cultures, peoples, etc., knew more than I think we even know now about some things.

In the book "Rhythm is the Cure, Southern Italian Tambourine" Alessandra Belloni, the world's leading Tambourine artist, teaches healing modalities using the centuries old techniques of tambourining. The book is dedicated to the healing power of the Tarantella Rhythms specifically.

The book is available through MelBay Publishing or at Alessandra's website, www.AlessandraBelloni.com.

I was invited to the release party for the book for many reasons. First of all, over the past couple years, Alessandra and I have become friends.

Secondly, the book is accompanied by an instructional DVD. Well, that DVD features none other than yours truly as one of her three students learning how to drum right along side of her.

About a year ago Alessandra approached me with this project and asked me if I would be interested in helping her out. I was surprised she asked me because, I had taken one of her workshops before and I thought it was obvious at the time that I would have needed much more practice before making a sound come out of the tambourine like she made.

The truth of the matter is that my grandmother used to tambourine and, let me tell you, it is a beautiful thing to grow up with that music in the house. Talk about healing music. Us children would gather around her whenever she would play the tambourine. And no matter where we were in the house, if we heard her playing, we would all come running.

I always did want to learn how to play like her and I thought the workshop would be a good place to start. And it was, but it was also so much more. In the workshop we learned dancing and chanting and connecting with our bodies, etc. You would think we were in a "modern" class, but these were all ancient rituals Alessandra was teaching.

Unfortunately, the hours we spent together learning how to drum were not enough, and I never took the time afterwards to practice. So when I agreed to do the taping of the video for her I took it as another opportunity to improve my tambourining skills, and the viewers can watch me learn right along with them.

And so it was.

At the release party at the Remo Center in Hollywood, Alessandra performed some of the pieces from the book and DVD, as well as many others, with the help of some of her friends and audience members. I took refuge behind the camera and took pictures instead. Here are some of the fun ones, including a couple friends of Alessandra's, actor and director Randy Vasquez and fellow Italian-American Actor Milo Bianchi in this second to the last picture.

By the way, yes that is me. What, you don't recognize me with my hair greased up and pulled back?

He, he, he...

Filippo

P.S. Here is a short video of a tambourinist in Italy demonstrating one of the techniques very similar to one of the ones that Alessandra teaches and demonstrates in her video. (Music Only)

Happy Anniversary "America" - 500th Anniversary!

Ciao a tutti,

According to a new book entitled "Amerigo, The Man Who Gave His Name To America," by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto today, April 27th, 2007, is the 500th Anniversary of the naming of "America" after the great Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

According to Wikipedia.org, the earliest known use of the name America for this particular landmass indeed dates from April 25, 1507. It appears on a globe and a large map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. An accompanying book, Cosmographiae Introductio, explains that the name was derived from the Latinized version of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci's name, Americus Vespucius, in its feminine form, America, as the other continents all have Latin feminine names

For more information on Amerigo Vespucci, click on his name.

In case you are interested, here is the resolution by the U.S. Congress making it official, per GovTracks.us.

www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr110-287

How is that for an interesting bit of trivia?

Buon Aniversario America!

Filippo

P.S. While I was in Monaco a few years back, I had the pleasure of seeing the the Amerigo Vespucci, one of the Italian Navy's Flagship Tall Ship come into port on the day of the Italian Independence. It was a site to see. I missed out on the opportunity to board it since they closed it down early because Prince Rainier was going to be attending a ceremony on the ship that afternoon. I did however get to see Prince Rainier and Prince Albert.

Here is a video I found on Youtube.com from someone who did get a chance to board the Amerigo Vespucci when it was in Casablanca in 1970, and took this video. (Music Background)

Buon Compleanno (Happy Birthday) - Chef Richard

Ciao a tutti,

Today was Chef Richard's Birthday and his wife Elaine threw him a big Birthday bash at their home. It was supposed to be a surprise party but his wife didn't think she would be able to cook him his favorite dishes without him getting suspicious. So she gave Richard the biggest gifts of all, a party, and she did all the cooking herself for all their guests.

People came from all over to help him celebrate and in some cases surprise him, like his sister Irene and her husband who surprised him all the way from New Jersey. That is Elaine, Richard's wife in the picture below and Irene, Richard's sister in the picture below that.

Not to confuse the issue but a mutual friend of ours surprised us by cutting her trip back east short and coming to the party and she is Evelyn, pictured below with me. Elaine, Irene, Evelyn, oh my! Thankfully in the picture below that is Camile, and not Eve or Ira or Ilene otherwise I never would have been able to keep all the names straight.

I surprised Richard too by bringing my computer and my Filippo and the Chef briefcase and acted surprised when I saw all those people there pretending I didn't know we weren't recording a show. After we laughed about that for a moment we both looked at each other as if to say, it would have been a fun idea to record a show during the party. Maybe next year.

We didn't record a show, but everything our show is about was going on right there before our eyes. Talk about family in the kitchen. Even though Elaine had everything already cooked and ready to go beforehand, and all the food was beautifully served on the dining room table buffet style, people still gathered in the kitchen and were helping out, whether she needed it or not. Everyone was chatting and laughing away...

Now that's Italian.

There were a few other surprises in store for him, like a roast that I hosted with friends and family saying the funniest things, things I didn't know about him. Since I was hosting, a job I am getting really used to, and enjoying very much by the way, I did a lot of talking, but everyone expected me to sing too.


That reminded me of a funny story that I shared with everyone during the roast. The story goes that after having known Richard a few years, I happened to have heard it was his Birthday on a particular day, actually, April 22nd to be exact. I called him on that day a few years back and said "Richard, it's Filippo. Happy Birthday."

There was a pregnant pause on the phone and I wasn't sure what was going on so I said, "Hello Richard are you there?" He answered, "Yes." I repeated myself, "Richard, it's Filippo. Happy Birthday." At this point he pulls the phone away from his ears and yells out to his wife. "Listen to this, the only person who didn't sing Happy Birthday to me was the singer, Filippo."

I laughed so hard at that as did all the guests at his party. So, true to form, I didn't sing to him on his Birthday again. But luckily, Camile Saviola did. I introduced her and off she went talking about the fact that Richard and her had been childhood friends and she told of all the mischief that children get into, especially these two, what a pair.

Richard, if you haven't noticed can be soft spoken and quite, just unfortunately, not when he is doing the show with me, he, he. Camile on the other hand is a ball of fire.

Of course she is a pro. You may not know her name but you have seen her on everything on TV, from Becker to First Mondays, where she had a staring role opposite Joe Montagna. I could go on with Broadway credits like playing the role of Mama in "Chicago" opposite Melanie Griffith, and she was awarded this and that and something else and the other thing.

She lived up to the actor/entertainer that she is by making us all laugh with her stories and then touching us with her song. Finally, after all that, Richard got up and kicked everyone out.

No, I am just kidding. He thanked us all and said nice things about the people who had just roasted him, as well as all the guests.

I then taught everyone how to sing Happy Birthday in Italian and we sang to Richard in English and Italian while his grandchildren brought out the burning cake.

Happy Birthday Richard, and remember, next year we are working on your Birthday and recording a show, with everyone being invited.

Filippo

P.S. Speaking of singing Happy Birthday, here is a song called Buon Compleanno by Irene Grandi, an Italian pop singer, that I had never heard but just found on Youtube.com that I thought might be fun to post. (In Italian)

La Musica Del Mondo - Music Of The World

Ciao a tutti,

Every time I hear Musicantica perform I always learn something. More than that, I feel something, I experience something, I enjoy them. It is not just about the music they do, it is how they do it, why the do it, the way they do it.

I have known them and of them for many years and have been a fan since day one. I have performed with them and seen them perform just the two of them or with a full dance and musical troop on stage. From small coffee houses to large stages, they are always good and always real.

I am talking primarily of Roberto Catalano and Enzo Fina who are the creators of the group Musicantica which performs folk music of Southern Italy: songs and fables from the oral tradition passed on from generation to generation by the fishermen, peasants, and street vendors of their homeland.

This is music that existed before music was written. As a matter of fact, much of this never got written, and still is not written.

I titled this post "Music of the World," because this is music that has had influences from all over the world. Since Italy, and Southern Italy specifically, was conquered by so many different tribes over the centuries, each had left their musical mark, among other things.

What world influence the music didn't already have when Enzo and Roberto came to learn it, they have since added to it, combining many rhythms, beats, and melodic lines of the musical world they know, love and continue to study.

Make no mistake, the music is still Southern Italian, and the two of them are unmistakably the same. I remember when I started telling stories on stage, after I had only sung for years without speaking, people used to come up to me and say, "I don't know what I like better, when you sing or when you speak."

I thought to myself the same thing this last time around that I went to see them knowing I would be interviewing them for our Filippo and the Chef radio show and probably be telling them just that. When they speak they are very funny. Not only what they say, but the fact that they are in their own world, and it is a beautiful thing because they invite you in it, which is what this music does too.

But they themselves have these private jokes that we are not really in on, and it doesn't matter because it adds to the fun. Even if you were in on it, you would have to understand their dialect so it doesn't really matter. They are two friends making music on stage who love what they are doing, believe in its power and yet in its simplicity, and you feel it.

So simple in fact that they invite the audience to participate. One song in particular was a song about a man standing outside in the rain serenading his lover telling her that not even the rain will make him leave until he gets a glimpse of her at the window, or something like that.

Enzo and Roberto had someone pass around plastic bags, like the ones you put your vegetables in and had us all move them in between our fingers. I tell you what, if you closed your eyes, it sounded like rain. The room just transformed and we all felt like we too were standing in the rain with the hopeless romantic.

On another song, they passed out straws, yes straws like you would have with your soda, that had been cut on the tip and when you blew through them they actually made a sound. That had the opposite effect of the rain, that made everyone in the room break out into a roar of laughter. It was pretty funny, so funny I don't even remember what the song was supposed to be about.

That is just it, they are pure and real and they just do what they do and you just feel free and open. Part of it is the music, part of it is them, after all, they are sitting up there drinking wine throughout the whole show. Part of it is the instruments, and part of it is just magic that is centuries old.

The type of instruments they use are centuries old too. Some of the instruments they have made themselves fashioned after the originals, and some they invented themselves, fashioned after whatever sound they wanted to make at that time.

But it all works and between the two of them, in any one given song, they can pick up and play a number of these instruments to give the flavor they want at the moment, as they feel it.

And what did I learn this time? Well, lots, but one of the things I was surprised I didn't already know was that the mandolin is not an instrument without a family. Rather I thought that the guitar was part of the mandolin family. Well, actually, the mandolin has a more immediate family. In Italian the mandolin is called a "mandolino."

Roberto taught me during the intermission that the mandolino is the smallest instrument of the mandolin family. As we get larger we have the mandola, then the mandocello, and finally a mandolin that actually stands on the floor and is called a mandobasso. Seems to me that the violin family is closer to the mandolin than the guitar.

Grazie Roberto for the music lesson. Surprised that I didn't know this Roberto added the lesson to the second part of the show. See what I mean? This is how this music was meant to be performed, in the moment and even played with make shift instruments. When someone felt like joining in, they just picked up a sound maker, even if it was a gardening tool or something and they joined in.

In the top picture, on my left is Enzo and on my right is Roberto. Then the other pictures are of course of the two of them on stage as well as Roberto explaining to me the origins and demonstrating the various instruments they had on stage.

If you tune into the radio show you will see what I mean about the way they talk and how sincere and pure their intention is for keeping this music alive as well as the instruments. You will also hear a song from their CD. For more information about them, do click on their website at www.Musicantica.org.

Oh, I almost forgot, for a small fee they will not only come to your house and perform, but they will create a cooking experience with food from the regions of Italy from which they came and get everyone in on the action. Then they will perform a live show with as much audience participation as you want.

Now that's Italian.

Viva la musica!

Filippo

P.S. This video I found on Youtube.com is not exactly like the music that Musicantica performs per se, but I thought it to be a great example of combining traditional southern Italian instruments and rhythms with a more pop feel and sound and to me it works. You can hear the middle eastern influences as well. I enjoyed it, hope you do too. (In Southern Italian Dialect)

A Goal To Help The Children Of America- Michael Torchia

Ciao a tutti,

If you can't tell from listening to the Filippo and the Chef show radio transmissions or our podcast archives, I really enjoy what I am doing. One of the most satisfying parts about what I am doing is doing the interviews.

It amazes me how Italians have risen to the top of so many Industries and it has been a pleasure learning how they did it and what they are doing etc., as I do each interview. The ones that touch me the most however are the ones in which we talk about what the individual's passions are about helping other people or the world.

In a way I have to say that this seems to come out in almost every interview, on some it comes out while we are recording and unfortunately on some, when the computer is off. Though some people use their influence, their art, or their abilities to help others, there are those that are dedicated to only doing that.

That is what I felt from my interview with Michael Torchia. Here is a man who has had great success, and continues to have success, in his field as a health and wellness expert and personal trainer to the stars like Kim Cattrall, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Joe Mantegna, Sinbad, Roseanne Barr and Matt Damon.

Now he is taking his knowledge, experience and influence and putting his passion into helping people live healthier lives, and most of all children. Among the many projects he is involved in and the many ways he is planning on achieving his goals are a podcast and radio show that is well underway called "Shape Up America," and a television show called "On The Road to Celebrity Fitness."

He has taken his message to such shows as, the NBC Today Show, Dateline, ABC News, CBS Morning News, Fox News, E!, Extra, American Journal, Inside Edition, Life & Styles, The Larry Elder Show and the Montel Willams Show.

His biggest passion seems to be caring for the children of this country who seem to be suffering from, among many other things, obesity. In fact, one of Mike's favorite quotes is "The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children," by Deitrich Bonhoeffer.

He has started a campaign to get junk food out of the schools and to revolutionize what the children eat at schools as well as bring fitness in again to those schools that don't offer it anymore.

That seems to be such a big undertaking considering how much money is made off of selling children junk food and how little parents know about the effects of those foods and the chemical additives in them, both the ones listed on the ingredients and the ones that are legally not listed, etc.

But Michael is bound and determined to see it happen and has aligned himself with some powerful people and organizations. Just like he succeeded in shaping his body to the amazement that it is today and has been for years, I hope and trust he will help take care of the children by shaping up their schools and their bodies too.

Michael went from being 20 pounds over weight as a child to winning Teenage Mr. America, Collegiate Mr. USA, Mr. California, National Bodybuilding Champion to World Bodybuilding Champion.

Now he is championing the health and bodies of the children of America. More power to him.

Hear his passion come through on our interview with him that already aired but you can catch it at our show archives at www.FilippoandtheChef.com.

In the pictures above you will also see friends of Michael, Rona Freeman a Fitness Trainer in her own right, Austin Fuentes, and me with one of those infamous smiles.

May it be just as Michael says for the good of all the children.

Filippo


P.S. While doing research on Youtube.com to find the perfect video for this blog post I came across yet another Italian pop artist I had not yet heard of, Povia. I found this song to be so interesting I am posting it for all my fans that can understand Italian.

The song is called "I Bambini Fanno Ooh!" It translates into "children say Ooh," and is referring to the expression of innocence by children and how beautiful it is when they are looking at the world and being surprised at all they see, experience and discover. In the song he goes on to say that he is ashamed about the fact that he doesn't say ooh anymore and that he should, because he sees the beauty that we miss by our jaded way of looking at the world.

What could be more beautiful than to look at the world through the eyes of a child. I had to post this video to go along with the work that Michael is doing to help the children be children again, happy and healthy.

May we find the child within us too and be able to say "ooh" more often.

Director Peter Miller's Film - Sacco and Vanzetti

Ciao a tutti,

About four or five years ago, I was invited to the National Italian American Foundation's (NIAF) Convention in Washington, D.C. to sing for the NIAF Board of Directors. I was also invited to participate in all the conferences, dinners, meetings, seminars, etc. held during those three days.

Remember when I said in a previous post that I would eventually get to talking about some of the people pictured in that post which had gotten too long for details? Well, one of those people pictured in that post with me was Joe Cerrell. At the time, Joe was the President of NIAF and he personally took me and introduced me to many of the movers and shakers that were present at that event.

I guess, Joe knew something I didn't know. Come to think of it, he is one of the worlds most noted Public Relations Consultant, of course he knew. Saying I was honored is an understatement.

Not only that, at every meeting I attended he introduced me from the podium along with the other honored guests. Honored is not the word, there has got to be a stronger word for what I felt.

Someday maybe we will talk about some of the very interesting people I met at that event and at many similar events since then, as if the ones I have posted about till date are not interesting enough.

One of these people was a man who was in the process of raising awareness for a film he was working on about two Italian immigrants who lived at the turn of the Century named Sacco and Vanzetti.

I had never heard of these two or the incredible story about their lives here in America that not only captivated the world but rallied the world to their cause.

I remember thinking this story was very important and I was disturbed that I hadn't heard of it before. I remember wishing I could help this man get this very important story out to the general public.

Unfortunately, I had long forgotten this meeting, this story and about Sacco and Vanzetti until I read in one of the Italian Internet Forums that I belong to, that a film was going to be screened in Los Angeles about Sacco and Vanzetti.

I was reminded of that man I had met years ago and wondered what had happened to his film, or if this could be the same man.

I made contact with the production house and secured myself tickets to the screening and an interview with the Director immediately afterwards.

The film was mesmerizing and compelling to say the least! More about the film in a moment.

Then I got to meet the director, Peter Miller and the first question I asked him is if he had ever been involved with NIAF.

Imagine how happy we both were that we had indeed met years earlier. And I couldn't help but be amazed at how wishes do come true. Here I was in a position to do what I had wanted to do years ago, help Peter get the story out.

And here it is.

First of all, Peter gave a great interview and you just have to hear it when it airs in a few weeks on radio. If you miss it, do go to www.FilippoandtheChef.com and hear it in our archives which are usually updated a week or two after the shows air.

Secondly, as a way of telling you about the film, here is a breakdown of the story as described by Willow Pond Films on their website. Do visit them to learn more.

SACCO AND VANZETTI is an 80-minute-long documentary that tells the story of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrant anarchists who were accused of a murder in 1920, and executed in Boston in 1927 after a notoriously prejudiced trial.

It is the first major documentary film about this landmark story. The ordeal of Sacco and Vanzetti came to symbolize the bigotry and intolerance directed at immigrants and dissenters in America, and millions of people in the U.S. and around the world protested on their behalf.

Nearly eighty years later, the story continues to have great resonance, as America once again grapples with issues of civil liberties and the rights of immigrants.

SACCO AND VANZETTI brings to life the personal, political, and legal aspects of this heartbreaking story. The powerful prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti are read by actors John Turturro and Tony Shalhoub. A chorus of passionate commentators propels the narrative, including a number of older people with personal connections to the story.

Artwork, music, poetry, and feature film clips about the case are interwoven into the storytelling. Through the tragic story of Sacco and Vanzetti, and the inspiring images of those who keep their memories alive, audiences will experience a universal – and very timely – tale of official injustice and human resilience.

Incidentally, John Tuturro was one of these people that I met at the NIAF Convention that year in Washington, or was it a few years before? I don't remember now, but nevertheless, I met him there. It all ties in together somehow.

And speaking of "tying in," go see this movie and see how the story of these two Italians in America tied the whole world in, in a way that hadn't happened before and hasn't happened since.

Filippo

P.S. Here is the Trailer of Peter Miller's Documentary "Sacco and Vanzetti," as released by First Run Features, featuring the voices of John Tuturro and Tony Shalhoub. (In English)