C.J. Martello

CJ Martello has returned to his roots as the author of “Petals from Roseland.” After five years of writing his column as a resident of Chicago's North Side, CJ put his money where his heart is and moved to Pullman, near the Roseland area in which he grew up. Having joined the Spaghetti-Os, Veneti nel Mondo and St. Anthony of Padua Parish and being one of the founders of the Roseland Roundtable Facebook page, CJ has become reacquainted with countless friends and acquaintances from his youth. CJ is looking forward to retirement and completing the books he has put on hold, including one that will encompass as much of Roseland's rich, beloved history as possible.

A Labor Day to remember

Labor Day has been a big deal in Pullman ever since the 1894 strike, which lead to the creation of the holiday. Each year, representatives of different labor groups convene in Pullman for a day of speeches and musical entertainment. There are also exhibits and oftentimes rides for children and displays for adults. Since 2015, when President Obama declared Pullman a National Monument, plans have been drawn up, contracts awarded, financing secured, National Park Rangers assigned, construction completed and landscaping installed. Each of these items have been checked off the “to do” list, and the time has finally come for …

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A wonderful way to catch up

With COVID being such a big part of our lives for so long, it’s hard to say when annual events will return in full force. Could the Pullman Family Picnic be the only regular scheduled celebration to take place this summer in our neck of the woods? If so, let’s make the most of it! Almost everyone has been vaccinated and mask wearing has become optional along with the relaxing of other restrictions. After so many months of life lived at a distance, the Pullman Picnic looms large. Always an important gathering, it means even more this year as we’ve …

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Dining out, Roseland-style

Dining out in Roseland came under two headings. There was actually eating out in a restaurant, which was something generally done with the family, as in after mass on Sunday or on Dad’s payday or in celebration of a family event. The other type of dining out was the more casual “hanging out” with friends in a favorite local snack shop or restaurant. Local fine dining in Kensington centered around two restaurants: Pesavento’s on 115th and Parise’s on Kensington. These places had tablecloths and that qualified them as “fine dining” in young Roseland eyes. Of course, after mass on Sunday …

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Enough with the May flowers!

April showers bring May flowers, right? We hear that every year. In fact, I’m sure I’ve written about May flowers a couple of times in the dozen years I’ve been writing this column. Well, I’ve had enough of writing about flowers and I’m switching things up. Spring also marks the start of vegetable gardening season, which brings to mind the many such gardens in Roseland, Pullman and Kensington. Personally, I’ve never had a green thumb, but the array of colorful and abundant vegetable gardens has stayed with me since childhood. Growing up in Roseland, I ran across gardens big and …

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A neighborhood store …

Walking my dog, Antonio Michelangelo Martello, has proven to be an enlightening experience. As we casually stroll through beautifully preserved Pullman. I not only have the opportunity to visit with any Pullmanites we see. I also get to take note of the changes made to Pullman’s original architecture. Since 1907, all of the residences in Pullman have been privately owned. In 1897, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the company could not own homes as that was outside of its corporate charter. As the residents purchased their homes, they were able to make changes to their properties as they liked. …

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What we love about Roseland

February brings with it Valentine’s Day and conversations about love. Not being one to color outside the lines, that’s exactly where this column is going to go! That isn’t a challenging premise when we’re talking about our beloved Roseland. Anytime people get together and talk turns to Roseland the stories start to flow from the heart. All Roseland stories involve our love for the great memories we have. Given how much time we spent on “The Ave,” talking about Michigan Avenue brings up 100s of stories. If you’re reminiscing about going to a movie or seeing a show on The …

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Remembering today’s ‘good old days’

  We always talk with great fondness about the Roseland of decades past while we embrace the last vestiges of those glory days. Unfortunately, the pandemic has cast a dark shadow over these living reminders of our cherished past. In many ways, last year has been one of loss as we look forward to 2021 with hope for better times. Many of the places, events and organizations we’ve clung to in recent years have either gone temporarily or permanently dark. I think it is fitting to recall some of the great memories each of them has brought into our lives. …

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Christmas through Italian-tinted lenses

Christmas is a time for celebration, but how we celebrate has changed over the centuries. How do you celebrate Christmas? Do you embrace the more secular version embodied by Santa Claus with his big bag of presents, or the more religious one in which gifts are given in recognition of God’s gift to us of His Son Jesus Christ? One tradition I embrace is the Christmas story told by Mario Avignone, the founder of this column. Fr. Pierini asked him decades ago to start writing Petals as a way of keeping Roseland alive in our hearts. In my 12 years …

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Many vets, one story

November is dedicated to the men and women of the armed services who have played a role in protecting our nation and safeguarding its future. On Memorial Day, we remember all of those service members who gave their lives for our country. On Veterans Day, we honor all those who served in any capacity. All veterans have stories about their time in service. I invited the readers to share those stories and I got numerous responses. This column is the perfect opportunity for me to present some of them. As you read these stories, I encourage you to think with …

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St. Anthony’s is as diverse as . . .

As I’ve sat with a number of people over the years, discussions have often turned to who the people of Kensington, Pullman and Roseland are. As a child in St. Anthony’s Parish, the answer was clear: We’re all Italian. Of course, then I became more aware of the world around me. I came to realize that some of the last names called for attendance at school weren’t Italian: Knudson, Ramirez, Mrozowski, Clark, Timmerman, Vanderwahl, and a few more. Hitting the playground gave further proof of how diverse the entire community of Roseland was. The playgrounds of summer gave us ample …

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