Siamo Una Famiglia

Farewell to Embassy of Italy’s Maria Fusco
By Nancy DeSanti
Holy Rosary Church and Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center (CISC) on August 11 said goodbye to Maria Fusco, the Embassy of Italy’s Education Director for the past eight years. She returned to Italy on August 23, 2024.
At the Mass on August 11, Father Walter Tonelotto gave a warm tribute to Maria, thanking her for her contributions to Holy Rosary Church as a frequent lector at the Italian Mass during the years that she was here. Then she gave heartfelt remarks to the parishioners, saying how much the church meant to her, especially when her father passed away a couple of years ago, and her mother passed away in June.
A farewell reception was hosted by CISC at which time its president and AMHS member, Francesco Isgrò, presented Maria with a gift of a framed photograph of a famous Dante Alighieri statue, which he noted was appropriate given how much Professoressa Fusco has done to promote the Italian language in the United States. He noted her work in coordinating with the Twinning Project which links Italian high school students with American counterparts, and he also noted that she recently coordinated a visit by a group of 40 Italian students, sponsored by the Italian Senate. The students participated in sessions organized by the Italian-American Museum of D.C. (IAMDC).
Francesco also thanked her for participating in so many of the events held in Casa Italiana and outside events held by the Lido Civic Club. In reply, Maria noted that there are now about 200,000 students who are studying Italian in this country. She thanked the Casa Italiana Language School teachers who were present, along with the Ente Promotore.
Maria was a frequent guest at AMHS programs, and afterwards, she told AMHS members present that she really enjoyed coming to our events.
We wish Maria all the best as she begins the next chapter of her life. Già ci manca! (Already she is missed!).

AMHS Happy Hour at Tonari
By Maria D’Andrea-Yothers
On Friday, August 23, eight AMHS members and friends enjoyed Happy Hour at Tonari, the first and only “Wafu” Italian restaurant in Washington, D.C. The popularity of Italian food in Japan started decades ago when Japanese were first introduced to spaghetti noodles and red sauce from Italian-American GIs. In 1953, a small restaurant in Tokyo named “Kabe no Ana” (Hole in the Wall) essentially became the unofficial pioneer of “Wafu” Italian cooking when the owner started to use Japanese ingredients in pasta dishes, hoping to appeal to a wider audience. This niche culinary concept took off to meteoric heights in the 1990s, and it is now served in thousands of eateries all over Japan. The AMHS group enjoyed an eclectic mix of wines, beers, and cocktails, as well as Japanese-inspired pizza.
AMHS will be looking to host its next Happy Hour in October, at either Cucina Morini or Osteria Morini. Stay tuned!

Pleasant Coincidence in Halifax
By Carmine Spellane
I have been spending a good part of my summers in Nova Scotia, specifically on beautiful Cape Breton Island in the north of the province. I first went there in 2003 and bought a vacation home in the town of Baddeck in 2014. While I love the lively Celtic culture (per my paternal lineage) that infuses Cape Breton, very few Italians immigrated to that part of Canada. So, I truly miss access to good Italian cuisine and wines, not to mention hanging out with paisani.
My wife and I took a side trip this summer to Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia. Pier 21 in this maritime city functioned as Canada’s Ellis Island prior to the age of jet travel. Ships from around the world, but especially Europe, docked there carrying immigrants with a familiar dream — to make a new live on the North American continent, free from wars and class struggles. Among them were Italians, most of whom headed to the large urban areas of Toronto, Montreal, and points west.
Today, only a few Italians can be found in Halifax. Nevertheless, one evening, my wife and I were walking and looking for a place to eat dinner. On the waterfront, a popular and well-rated Italian eatery called the Bicycle Thief, after the classic film by Vittorio De Sica, was full. On a side street, we found a place called Ragazzi (Little Boys), and, not being able to resist the name, we went inside.
We were greeted by a tall, gregarious gentleman with a slight but distinct accent. He escorted us to a table where I thanked him with my highly imperfect Italian and said, “Mi chiamo Carmine.” (I call myself Carmine.) His smile grew bigger, his manner even warmer, as he introduced himself as Leonardo. He came back to our table several times during our meal to make sure our food and service were satisfactory. They certainly were. I asked him, again in halting Italian, where he hailed from in Italy. “L’Aquila,” he answered. I responded with enthusiasm, telling him, mostly in English by now, that my maternal grandparents were from Molise, and that I belonged to the Abruzzo Molise Heritage Society back home in Washington, D.C. He was surprised that I knew that L’Aquila was chosen as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2026. As we left, Leonardo was busy at the bar. I thanked him again and was rewarded with a bear hug. I assured him that my wife and I would be back on our next visit to Halifax. I urge all of you to do the same if you are ever in that coastal city!
And that, i miei amici (my friends), is how I got my Italian fix in the Great White North this summer!

September 2024