The Italian American Executives of Transportation will honor promising young professionals of Italian descent at its second annual Augustus Caesar Awards on Feb. 1 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook. This year’s honorees will be Nicky Amore (Financial Planning), Alex Corbo (Law Enforcement), Stephanie Corona (Educational Services), Rachel Matug (Special Education), Gianni Morrone (Restaurant Services), Anthony Palladino (Medical Marketing), PJ Sasso (Media & Entertainment), Nicole Sisco (Food and Beverage Planning – Aviation), and Valerie Timpone (Philanthropy and Sales). Hillside Mayor Joseph Tamburino and singner Daniela Crocca will serves as masters of ceremonies. Entertainment will be provided by Frankie Sata, the Jersey …

Rare pairing The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra will offer a unique take on a timeless masterpiece by performing Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Astor Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” in concert. Published in 1725, Vivaldi’s piece requires no introduction. Penned in the 1960s, “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” is Piazzolla’s homage to Vivaldi’s groundbreaking orchestral work. Piazzolla was an Argentine composer of Italian descent who transformed traditional tango into a new genre known as nuevo tango by incorporating elements from jazz and classical music. The concert will be performed at 3 p.m. on Jan. 19 at Elmhurst …

Our Good Vibes feature spotlights websites, blogs, videos and podcast from around the world that celebrate Italy’s inimitable spirit. If you have a favorite online offering you’d like to share, send it to info@franoi.com. For more, follow us on Facebook. Saxman Catalano goes psychedelic on award-winning video This clip has been nominated for a Blues Blast Award for Best Video, and you can easily see why. Shot by Sketchy Goat Video, the production features images of El trains, classic Chicago architecture, the Chicago River, and clubs like Blue Chicago and Kingston Mines done in the flashing purple, pink and blue …

The cacio e pepe at Chicago’s Rose Mary restaurant earned the distinction of being the most popular pasta dish in Illinois, according to Yelp Elite members, Business Insider reported. Owned by chef Joe Flamm and located at 932 W. Fulton Market, Rose Mary features a blend of Italian and Croatian cuisine reflective of Flamm’s Italian heritage and his wife’s Croatian heritage. The restaurant is named after Flamm’s grandmothers, Mary and Mary Rose, and the herb rosemary, which grows natively along the Italian and Croatian coastlines. “Rose Mary is the culmination of everything I have done with my career. But more …

Iconic Italian steakhouse Gene & Georgetti, now owned and operated by the third generation, was named among Chicago’s best family-owned restaurants by Eater Chicago. Gene Michelotti and Alfredo Federighi (nicknamed “Georgetti”) founded the restaurant at 500 N. Franklin Street in 1941. It was then purchased by Michelotti’s son-in-law, Anthony “Tony” Durpetti, who ran it with his wife, Marion. The restaurant unveiled an expansion in 1997, with two second-floor dining rooms and fire doors that separated the newly constructed building from the original erected in 1872. Durpetti died in September. Now, his daughter Michelle Durpetti keeps “the flame burning bright by …

For one week this month, Boka Restaurant Group will run a pop-up of Balena, a popular Italian restaurant in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood that closed after a fire in 2017. The transient dining experience will run from Jan. 19-26 at The Wellsley, a private-event venue at 504 N. Wells St. in Chicago, Time Out reported. According to an official press release, Balena’s temporary iteration will feature “many iconic dishes cherished by guests,” including the Kale Tonnato Caesar Salad, Tagliolini Nero with Uni and Crab, Grilled Hanger Steak with Salsa Verde, and the signature tiramisu. ⁠The five-course, family-style meal will cost …

Crust Fund Pizza is “like a pizzeria, but it’s kind of mythical, and mostly exists in my head, except for when it exists in an alley a couple nights a month.” That’s how John Carruthers described to the Chicago Tribune the charitable pizza-making project he launched in 2020. The project had raised more than $80,000 by October and was expected to raise more than $100,000 by the end of 2024. “Crust Fund Pizza is a way to share the love of tavern-style pizza,” he said about his Chicago-style, thin-crust, square-cut pies. “And to shine a light on the places doing …

The Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America celebrated its 100th anniversary on Oct. 13 at the Silver Oaks Country Club. The event brought together members and friends to reflect on the century-long journey of an organization dedicated to preserving Italian heritage, promoting community service and supporting charitable causes. Since its founding in 1924, the Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin has had 20 distinguished leaders, each leaving a lasting impact on the organization and its mission. The centennial celebration honored those who have served in this prestigious role, and it also spotlighted the remarkable …

The Burgio Woman’s Club staged its second annual Ladies Night Out Cocktail Social on Sept. 19 at the Des Plaines Theater. Nearly 60 women turned out for the event, which was hosted by Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Ron Onesti. The organization announced its new name, the Society Burgio for Women, at the gathering. The change was made to make the organization more welcoming to women who may not be direct descendants from the town of Burgio, according to society president Ann Parisi. At the top of the program, Parisi thanked Onesti for his generosity. “Your hospitality and …

Attorney Isabella Mazzanti has joined the Chicago-based law firm of Romanucci & Blandin. Mazzanti earned her law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and her undergraduate degree in communications from the University of Dubuque, Iowa. During law school, she helped Chicago residents through UIC Law’s Pro Bono Civil Litigation Clinic and clerked at several Chicago-area law firms before spending two years as a law clerk at Romanucci & Blandin. Mazzanti will concentrate her practice on cases involving sexual abuse, motor vehicle and traffic accidents, individuals suffering from workplace injuries, premises and product liabilities, birth injuries, and medical …