Italian American Society Serves Up Success
People flocked to Peoria's Knights of Columbus Sunday to fill up on spaghetti dinners for a good cause. The first Italian American Society spaghetti dinner ended with full bellies and a lot of donations. The event is supposed to be one of the organizations biggest fundraisers. Organizers say the hearty meal is a way to spread Italian cul...
John Vorrasi, 1948-2015
John Vorrasi, singer, cofounder, artistic director and longtime guiding light of the William Ferris Chorale, died Monday afternoon after a three-year battle with leukemia. Vorrasi, 66, launched the William Ferris Chorale with his longtime partner Bill Ferris in 1971, and continued to guide the chorus after Ferris’s sudden death in 2000. ...
Lyricism from Nineteenth Century to Contemporary Music
Italian Cultural Institute - 500 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 1450 - Chicago, IL 60611 Thursday, October 8, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CDT) Maestro Roberto Turrin (piano) and Valentina Sbicego (clarinet) will give a lecture, on the occasion of their masterclass and concert to be performed at Roosevelt University the following day.&n...
The Pride of Youngstown
by Ben Lariccia On June 4, 1933, the fog continued to frustrate the impatient crowd massed at the Lansdowne Airport, Youngstown's first municipal airfield. There was little trace of the single engine plane that carried the daring pilot who had decided against packing a parachute or a radio, for fear of depleting the fuel supply. F...
Subs to snaps: Rick Lovato, from sandwich shop to Packers' long-snapper
by Rob Demovsky Rick Lovato can tell you everything that belongs on a No. 15 at Joyce's Subs and Pizza in Lincroft, New Jersey. "That's our Italian sub," Lovato said. "Five bucks at most for a half sub." A week ago, Lovato was putting together boiled ham, genoa salami, capicola and provolone for customers at the shop owned by his father...
Woodbury council OKs Portillo's restaurant
Following murmurs of expanding to Minnesota last year, Portillo's, the suburban Chicago-based chain known best for its Chicago-style dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, is officially coming to Woodbury. At its Nov. 9 meeting the Woodbury City Council approved the restaurant's building plan near the intersection of Hudson Road and Radio Drive...
Viva Brier Hill! Neighborhood celebrates its Italian roots
By Sean Barron If you have spent the last few days in the right part of town, you probably have had a difficult time missing the variety of smells permeating the air. Contributing to the collective and alluring aromas is a large vehicle that leaves little to the imagination with its large, prominently displayed logo: "Meatballs gone w...
Columbus Italian Festival honors heritage, food
After Friday's rain, the Columbus Italian Festival was in a party mood yesterday with food, as always, one of the star attractions. The smells of pizza, pasta, sausage sandwiches, soup, gelato and pizzelles wafted in the air around St. John Italian Catholic Church, 720 Hamlet St., the center of the festival and Columbus' Italian community....
Non-profit CEO Emilia DiMenco
This month, we highlight the distinguished career of a rising star in the Chicagoland community, and a proud and contributing member of the Italian-American community, Emilia DiMenco. Although Emilia DiMenco has never owned a business, she has spent her entire professional career helping them grow. One of her most satisfying achievements w...
Bernard A. Affetto & Co.
If Italian family traditions begin at home, then so, too, should Italian family business ventures. While Lewis Affetto was only 16, he helped his father, Bernard, with tax work he did out of their residence in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood. “I’d do bookkeeping for family businesses and some simple tax returns,” recalls Lewis Affetto, who...
Dancing under the stars at Casa Italia
Nothing warms the Italian heart like great food and music, especially when it includes dancing outdoors on a warm summer night. And that's exactly what Casa Italia is offering at its second annual Ballo Sotto le Stelle. Slated for Aug. 21 at Casa's Festival Center, the event will include a sumptuous family-style feast followed by dancing t...
Artistica Italian Gallery Marks Landmark Anniversary with Huge Savings
In today's world companies come and go. It is difficult to find one that not only stands behind their product, but that is also highly respected within their field and has stood the test of time. Artistica is a company that is not only considered the leader for high-end Renaissance-inspired genuine Italian Majolica, but that is also celebrating the...