October 2014 - Welcome to Goozmo

October 2014
CULTURAL EVENTS
October 17th--7:00PM @Mount Carmel Parish Hall
Long-time member and retired physician Dr. Nick Napoli will share his insight on "Dante
Alighieri, the Man". He will discuss the man, and the time in which he lived. So save the
date, this should be a very informative time for us members. Refreshments will be
served afterwards.
Future Programs If you have any ideas or subjects you would like to see in future
presentations, please submit them to John DiPentino, ([email protected] ). I will
be the Chair of programs through December. The new Vice President will take over next
year. For now, send us your ideas, so we can research and schedule them. Grazie!
OCTOBER ITALIAN MOVIE NIGHT
For October 24, 2014, the Society has chosen the movie La vita e' bella (Life is Beautiful)
directed by Roberto Benigni. (As always the movie will be shown at the Mount Carmel
Parish Hall at 3549 Navajo St., Denver at 7:30 p.m.). The Los Angeles Daily News
described it "A masterpiece of tremendous power and beauty". The film was nominated
for 7 Academy Awards, winning 3 Oscars including one for Best Actor Roberto Benigni.
Synopsis: In this extraordinary tale, Guido (Benigni), a charming but bumbling waiter
who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor, has won the
heart of the woman he loves and created a beautiful life for his young family. But then,
that life is threatened by World War II...and Guido must rely on those very same
strengths to save his beloved wife and son from an unthinkable fate! Honored with an
overwhelming level of critical acclaim, this truly exceptional, utterly unique achievement
will lift your spirits and capture your heart. This movie is a must see.
In case of inclement weather, please contact our president Susan Gurule at 303-5249502 or Gianfranco Marcantonio at 303-494-3080. Members with an e-mail address will
be contacted.
Dante Nominee Jay Cimino Named Italian of the Year
Please, don’t forget to support our Italian-American of the year; October 11, 2014.
Viewing area grandstands at City and County on Broadway. Parade starts at 10:00am
--Page One—
WINE TASTING PARTY 2014
L to R, Julie Meirsonne, Veronica
Goodrich, Corrine & Ray Bush, and
Nick and Judy Napoli
“Sono i ricordi che portano al bar.” The memories bring you to the bar – or, for Dante, to
the wine bistro. On Sunday, Sept. 28, Dante members and friends gathered for the second
annual wine tasting. This year, fifteen people gathered at the Grappa Italian Bistro in
Belmar. Most of the participants returned from last year’s wine tasting and now have
plans to make the event a yearly tradition.
Grappa’s sommelier presented the Dante group four distinct Italian wines with their best
matched appetizers: Pinot Grigio with mozzarella and caper bruschetta, Vermentino with
salmon crostini, Chianti Classico with sausage and peppers , and Valpolicella with
calamari fritti. Members with dietary restrictions were served special plates. And, for
dessert, many guests ordered espressos and a couple added Sambuca tastes to their
coffees.
Each pour came with the history of the wine type or the vineyard. Among the wine trivia,
tasters learned that Americans drink the most Pinot Grigio than anywhere in the world,
and that Vermentino, known in this country as Verdicchio, was rarely distributed outside
of Italy until 2000.
PRESIDENTS LETTER – Susan Gurule
Time really does fly when you’re having fun. Soon it will be Halloween, followed by
Thanksgiving, then Christmas and then a new year. 2015 - The year of the Dante
Society’s 30th anniversary. The board of directors wants to celebrate the anniversary all
year long, in many ways. This year’s Carnevale dinner dance was a precursor to the
kind of celebration we want.
In the past the Dante Society has hosted performing groups from Italy. While Italy is no
longer supplementing the transportation of groups coming to the US, we still want to
provide that type of top-notch entertainment for our members utilizing local talent. We
have sponsored golf tournaments, bocce tournaments and a host of other events; some
of which will be revised to honor our anniversary.
We have many founding members and many members with great ideas and lots of
energy. It is my hope that you will participate in making 2015 a year to remember for the
Dante Society. Let’s make Giulio Marcantonio and the other founding members of the
Dante Society proud of the legacy they have given us
--Page Two--.
NOTIZIE DALL'ITALIA
Venezia omaggia Sophia.
Settembre 2014
Fino al 6 settembre, nella cornice del
Palazzo del Cinema, la mostra
fotografica “Ieri, Oggi, Sophia”,
dedicata a Sophia Loren
Mentre i grandi nomi del cinema
internazionale si alternano sulle
passerelle del Lido, lo scorso 27
agosto è stata inaugurata, nella
cornice del Palazzo del Cinema di
Venezia, la mostra fotografica “Ieri, Oggi, Sophia”, dedicata a Sophia Loren, realizzata
dalla Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo con il Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia Cineteca Nazionale e la 71. Mostra del Cinema - La Biennale di Venezia.
Aperta al pubblico fino al prossimo 6 settembre, la mostra si compone di 27 immagini ed
è concepita come un omaggio a Sophia Loren, alla sua arte e alla sua bellezza, in
occasione del suo ottantesimo compleanno. Attraverso i ritratti più rari ed enigmatici
dell’attrice, la mostra ripercorre la carriera della Diva italiana per eccellenza, icona
cinematografica del nostro Paese nell’immaginario mondiale.
Dalla ladruncola di “Peccato che sia una canaglia” (1954) alla popolana di “La bella
mugnaia” (1955), da Cesira, la madre disperata di “La ciociara” (1960) - che le vale
l’Oscar come migliore attrice protagonista - fino alla sfrontata Filumena di “Matrimonio
all’italiana” (1964) e alla Antonietta intrappolata in un asfissiante microcosmo familiare
di “Una giornata particolare” (1977), Sophia ha incarnato più volte la condizione della
donna in un’Italia che cerca di rialzare la testa dopo la fine della guerra e che si
incammina a grandi passi nell’epoca del boom economico.
Una galleria di ritratti che la fotografano anche sul set, immersa nel suo mondo, a fianco
ai registi che l’hanno magistralmente diretta - primo tra tutti Vittorio De Sica, di cui
quest’anno si celebra il quarantennale della morte - e agli attori, dall’immancabile
Marcello Mastroianni a Jean-Paul Belmondo, che l’hanno accompagnata nel suo lungo
cammino personale e professionale costellato di successi. (ItalPlanet News)
Parole ritrovate: Cravatta
Tra le più grandi soddisfazioni delle vacanze c’è quella
di lasciarla nel cassetto. Dovevano pensarla così anche
i cavalieri croati a cui si deve l’introduzione del nome
in Francia. Nel Seicento, infatti, presso la corte del Re
Sole militava il reggimento dei Royal Cravates, che
portavano sempre al collo una striscia di tessuto nero.
Sarà per questo che ancora oggi la indossiamo
soprattutto quando siamo “in servizio”.
(a cura di Alessandro Masi, dal supplemento Sette del Corriere della Sera)
--Page Three--
Margaret Foderaro 9/19/2014
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
1. What region in Italy were your ancestors from, have you been there and
what was your experience?
Both my parents were born and raised in a small town in the southern region of Calabria.
Yes, I have been to their hometown three times and loved it! All of my ancestry is from
Calabria. When I was a child my parents took the entire family (Mom, Dad and 5 kids) to
Italy and Canada for three months to meet their families. Prior to this I had never met my
aunts, uncles and cousins from both sides of the family. We stayed for one month in my
parents' hometown, where I played with my cousins, explored the orchard, learned about
weaving silk from silk worms, and wore a traditional Calabrian costume. What fun!
Sadly, the population of their hometown is decreasing annually due to an elderly
population, no industry and the young people moving away for jobs.
2. When did your ancestors arrive in America, and where did they settle
originally? Did they come right to Colorado ? My Dad arrived first to Colorado in
the late 1950s after my parents were married in Italy. He did settle in Colorado where my
grandfather (his Dad) had been working and living. My Mom came to Colorado a few
years later. My grandfather stayed in the US for 14 years then returned to Italy.
3. If you had to describe your self in one (1) word, what word would that be,
and why? Intellectual. I'm very logical with my science background and practical in my
thinking. I love to learn new things.
4. Who was most influential to you growing up, and why? My Mom was most
influential to me while growing up because she insisted that my brothers and sisters and
I go to college. Education was very important to her. She also had great courage to
leave her family in Italy when she was in her 20's to embark on a new life with her
husband in a new country.
--Page Four--
5. Tell us a little about you: employment, family, interests and so on. I am
currently an independent contractor as a botanist and horticulturist, though I'm looking
for other job opportunities. I'm close to my siblings whom all live in different cities and
states. I'm an aunt and love it! I'm interested in all things Italian, plants of course, hiking,
snowshoeing, and traveling.
6. How would you most like to be remembered? I would like to be remembered
as a woman who loved her family, plants, nature, Italy and the Italian culture.
7. What attracted you about joining the Dante Alighieri Society and getting
involved? I like the fact that the Dante offers numerous cultural activities from the
Italian language and cooking classes to the cultural meetings and also that the Dante
offers scholarships to students interested in studying in Italy.
TRADITIONS
“TODAY IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE!!” Every time I hear this biblical
phrase it, in some ways; reminds me of my Grampa Pantaleone. Somehow,
some way he knew it was time to dig the grave for the fig trees in the back yard.
It was the yearly ritual performed ever since my grandparents moved to Chicago.
The backyard, like many of the Italian immigrants’ was not for display or
relaxation. The backyard was for growing the vegetables and herbs used in the
family kitchens. The flowers adorned the tables for the Sunday family dinners.
The fig trees were the royalty of the garden, such care was given to each tree,
pruning each branch, inspecting each blossom and fruit. The time comes for their
sleep. It was a family affair amongst the males. The trees were dug up and each
root system was wrapped with burlap cloth and newspapers and set aside while
the hole was finished. Gently the trees were placed in the hole. The trees were
then covered with an old tarp and more newspapers. Then came the “sealing of
the tomb”, large boards and plywood would be placed top and then a foot of dirt
placed on top to seal it. Grampa would say a prayer and the “long winter sleep”
would begin.
When the time was right, and Grampa would know, the process would be
reversed and within months we would have this wonderful delicate fruit to enjoy
again!!!
I thought that the art of fig growing in the city was gone, “lost in the past”, until a
recent visit to fellow Dante members Vince and Daniela DeGarbo. Outside in a
ten gallon pot sat a 7 ft tall fig tree, beautiful in its entire dark green splendor.
Vince told me no tree graves for him; he just hauls the tree into the garage in late
fall and back out in spring. Just think if Grampa had a garage, we would have
saved a lot of strained backs.
--Page Five--
Baked figs and almonds with grappa
8 to 10 figs
25 almonds
4 tsp. sugar
4 tbls. Grappa
Cut a slit in each fig and insert one or two almonds into each fig. squeeze
opening closed. Arrange figs in glass baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar and splash
with grappa. Preheat oven to 400. Bake for approximately 20 mins or until figs
turn golden brown. Serve with plain biscotti and espresso.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS:
John Route
Mellissa Almond
Douglas & Cynthia Wax
Agnes Duffy Wyman
Robert & Debra Intravaia
Deanna Foreman
Jeri Lehmkuhl
Katherine Kouris
Jude & Jeanne Baker
Jacqueline Lawler
Vincenzo Stone
Andrew Carroll
BENVENUTO!!!
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENTS FEDERATION (of which the Dante Society is a
participating member) IS HOLDING THEIR SECOND ANNUAL MURDER MYSTERY
DINNER DANCE FOR HALLOWEEN...
We had so much fun last year, we decided to do it again.
The dinner dance be held Saturday, October 25, 2014, at the Sons of Italy Hall located
at 5925 W. 32nd Avenue in Wheat Ridge.
Dinner: 5-7 Clues to the murder will be given during the dinner period. Following dinner
the murder mystery will be solved and then we can dance until our feet hurt!
Cost is $50.00 and includes dinner, dancing and many opportunities to win prizes.
Proceeds will benefit the Caruso Family Charities.
Actors are needed for the sixteen roles. If you would like to be a participant in the murder
mystery, please send your name and email to Sandra Ginther at [email protected] or
Rita DeFrange [email protected] as soon as possible.
Contact Dante Society president Susan Gurule for tickets(303) 524-9502 or (720) 4841014.
Hope to see you all at the dinner dance. Don’t miss your chance to win a great door
prize and to enjoy a fun night.
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FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! Be sure to “like” us on Facebook so you’re the
first to know about upcoming events. We will post pictures and activities as they
arise. Lately our page has been visited by hundreds per day. We have had
several join the Dante Society’s classes from viewing our page.
WEBSITES TO VISIT IF INTERESTED IN ITALIAN CULTURE
Societa’ Dante Alighieri di Roma – Sede Centrale, http://www.dantealighieri-roma.it
Dante Alighieri Society of Denver, Colorado – http://www.dantealighieriofdenver.org
DAS of Denver in Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dante-Alighieri-Society-ofDenver/153670041417079
News from Italy – http://video.sky.it/news/diretta
Italian art - http://www.arte.it/
Italy news in English – http://www.thelocal.it/
Travel and Events – http://www.i-italy.org
The World of Dante – The study and teaching of the Divine Comedy,
http://www.worldofdante.org
Events in Colorado’s Italian-American community –
http://www.italianamericanheritage.com/index.html
Web site for TG5 (Mediaset) Notizie dall’Italia –
http://www.mediasetitalia.com/nazioni/colorado.html
US Citizenship – http://www.uscitizenship.info/italian-american-history-and-culture
--Page Seven--