For those who love Baltimore's Little Italy and all things Italian ...
STEP INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
This issue is sponsored by LA FAMIGLIA MANNETTA and PERRY HALL INSURANCE
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St. Paul's School students
tour Little Italy

Fifteen students from St. Paul School for Boys in Lutherville recently toured Little Italy, including stops at St. Leo's Church, Columbus Piazza, Piedigrotta Bakery, and neighborhood murals. "Our purpose for this project was to learn about ethnic Baltimore; these 15 boys chose to explore Little Italy," said Rick Brocato, teacher. At Piedigrotta Italian Bakery on Bank Street, owner Carmenantonio Iannaccone showed the boys through his beloved kitchen. "Carmenantonio and Bruna were wonderful!" said Brocato. "The boys wanted to stay all day and watch and listen to him! Plus, he gave them free cookies."
Blast from the Past
Submitted by Tony Santoro ... "My dad always felt connected to the neighborhood. He was quoted in The Baltimore Sun in June 1978 as saying 'I always like to come back here, you always feel at home.'

After my grandfather passed in 1929, my grandmother Mary Santoro was widowed at age 23, living as head of household at 309 S. Eden Street. With her is my Aunt Edna, age 3; my dad, age 1; Maria Laviola, 51 (likely my great grandmother) and Tony Laviola, 21 (Mary's brother). Next door to them at 311 S. Eden is Phillip Molino, 38, single. That must have been how they met. What happened from there? The marriage record of Phillip and Mary is dated October 1, 1930 from St. Leo's. However, in the 1940 Census, I can't find her anywhere; he is living at 1611 E. Pratt Street with Anthony & Mary Luciano and family."

As Tony researches his ancestors, he has a few "missing pieces." If you have information on these family members, email him here.
Michael Nicholas Santoro and Caroline Virginia Moore (Tony's parents)
Mike Santoro and Phillip Molino
(Tony's dad and his stepfather)
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9/11 MEMORIAL BUS TRIP
April 15, 2015
$75 per person




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PALM SUNDAY BREAKFAST 
Sunday, March 29, 2015 
9am to 1 pm
$10 adults / $5 children under 12

EASTER WEEK SCHEDULE
March 29 thru April 5 

Don't miss St. Leo's Outdoors Stations of Cross and Street Procession through Little Italy - a tradition!

 

 
RAVIOLI & SPAGHETTI DINNER
Sunday, March 22, 2015
12 noon to 6 pm
The meatballs and pasta await you!

SEEKING FESTIVAL VENDORS: The festival committee of Saint Leo's invites vendors offering Italian-related products to participate in the Sat/Sun, June 6-7, 2015 Feast of Saint Anthony festival. Hours are Saturday 12 noon to 8 pm; Sunday 11am to 7pm. Booth size is 10 X 10 for a donation of $300 for both days. For more information, contact Jerry Elliott by phone 410-561-0199 or email angelaelliott@comcast.net.

Banalita' (trivia)

When visiting Rome, don't think about leaving your mark behind on the Colosseum's walls. Two American tourists decided it would be ok to carve a souvenir of their visit ... read full story here>>>
From Pandola Learning Center    
After snow forced the cancellation of the first week of classes, Pandola Learning Center is now off and running with its many cultural classes held in St. Leo's School over an 8-week period. Christine Waltz shares these photos from "the awesome pasta class. Fantastic teachers and everyone had a great time! Looking forward to next week's class!!"



 
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volunteers prepare items for SJ's table
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an example of a St. Joseph's table

ST. JOSEPH'S DAY TABLE DISPLAYED - St. Joseph's Day is March 19, a tradition that celebrates the relief that the saint provided during a famine in Sicily in the Middle Ages. Some trace the tradition back to New Orleans in the late 1800s when Sicilian immigrants settled there as they set up altars with offerings of cookies, cakes and bread and beautiful decorations of candles, figurines and flowers. Little Italy's first St. Joseph's Day Table will be on display in St. Leo's Church Hall, hosted by LIPOA - Little Italy Property Owners Association. Any monetary offerings made will be donated to the parish's effort to feed the hungry. For more info, contact Joe Tusa here. Dates/times:
      • Thurs, March 19 -- 12 to 6:30pm
      • Fri, March 20 -- 5 to 8pm
      • Sat, March 21 -- 10am to 6pm
      • Sun, March 22 -- 12 to 6pm during Ravioli Dinner

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FAIRFIELD INN to host
Little Italy's SPRING SOCIAL
$15 - order now!



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BOOK CONTEST WINNER!

Frank Mondaldi Jr. is the winner of the "WIN A BOOK" contest as featured in the last issue. He said,
"I read this wonderful book and remembered all the good times in the mid-1960s on Mug's Corner. I would walk home from Patterson Park High School and spend the 15-cents bus money my mother had given me, to go into Mugs and play the 'CAN-CAN' pin ball machine. My mom would ask why I was late coming home from school; I told her I walked. It was also great to read about The Monaldi Family. Suzanna Molino did a great job in her research putting this GREAT BOOK together. I got a copy as a birthday gift from my girlfriend Edie, personally signed 'TO FRANK, THE SHARPEST GUY IN TOWN.'"



Italian-related events elsewhere



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click to visit event website

May 30, 2015, Frederick MD: Stroll the festa village streets, stomp grapes, feast on pasta, and listen to Italian tunes ... all in support of Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County. The historic Rose Hill Manor Park will be transformed into a quaint Italian village, transporting you to the beautiful life of Italy - la bella vita. Bocce courts, a wine cantina, a mercantino, Italian vacation raffle, and more! The event chairman invites Baltimore's Italian-American community to consider becoming an event sponsor. Last year it attracted 1,400 villagers and they expect over 2,000 in 2015. Here's a chance to place your brand in front of a large crowd while promoting Italian culture and heritage and supporting a worthy cause.
  • Vendor space now available for businesses and organizations offering Italian themed products or services
  • Musicians wanted: strolling accordion or mandolin players to donate time; email sepegerry@gmail.com 
  • Bocce teams are being accepted for event tournament
  • Event sponsors accepted; to receive a packet, participate as a vendor, or register a bocce team, email Maria Giovanna Galasso.
From our inbox 
Bill Martin had a little fun with some "Fifty Shades" humor. He calls it Fifty Shades of Sicilian Italian Passion. Bill writes, "Here's a quick list of my shades (okay, so they are in colors). "I thought I could come up with more, but now I'm hungry."
  • Black - hair
  • Tan - skin 
  • Brown - eyes 
  • Red - sauce
  • Beige - pasta
  • Gold - olive oil
  • Green - olives
  • Black - olives
  • Dark red - wine
  • White - more wine
  • Fifty Shades of Red Sauce
  • Fifty Shapes of Pasta
  • Fifty Shades of Red Wine
  • Fifty Shades of White Wine
  • Fifty Twenty Regions of Italy (seems like fifty but it's twenty)
  • Fifty Courses of Italian Meals at My Mother's House
  • Fifty Times it Takes to Leave an Italian's House
  • Fifty Times You Have to Kiss Everyone (coming and going = 100)
  • Fifty Shapes of Hand Gestures While Talking
  • Fifty Types of Italian Cookies
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Neighborhood News is produced bi-weekly by:
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Editor: Suzanna Molino, director
Editorial Advisor: Ray Alcaraz, board president
info@LittleItalyMD.com
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